And the Greatest of These is Love
by Professor Black 04
Summary: An unexpected turn of events forces Severus Snape to make a difficult decision and brings a family together again.
1. Chapter 1

"And the Greatest of these is Love"

Disclaimer: Don't own- never have. Never will...

A/N: This chapter has been revised 6-20-08.

**Chapter 1- Musings and Sortings**

_Hogwarts _

Severus Snape looked down from his spot at the head table. Severus was not what one would call a patient man. He was looking for someone, someone he had not seen in over a decade, but someone who had dominated his thoughts often.

He eyes gazed along the line of scared, shivering first years. Among them, he saw his godson Draco. "A Slytherin for sure" he thought proudly. While Severus generally did not like children (as ironic as that might be for a professor), his godson held a special place in his heart.

His dark eyes went to yet another red headed Weasley. "Gryffindor absolutely" he calculated. His focus shifted to a young boy with glasses and messy black hair. Severus knew exactly who this first year was.

"Looks just like James of course…will probably be just like his father. Dumbledore thinks he might have more of Lily in him, but I know better- he is going to be the bane of my existence for the next seven years." Severus thought grimly.

As if the child could read his thoughts, he turned and looked at Severus and Severus could not keep from gasping. "Lil's eyes" Severus whispered as he felt a stab of pain in his chest. The child had Lily's eyes- his wonderful, beautiful Lily. The emerald eyes looked out of place in the clone of James Potter. However, to Severus, it was a reminder that James and Lily indeed procreated. "Too bad the boy has to have James's genes as well." Severus sighed as he moved his eyes to look at who was standing next to Potter.

When he saw who it was, Severus quickly sucked in his breath. A girl stood fixed between Potter and a girl with bushy brown hair. She had straight, black hair and big pale blue eyes. She was wearing a new robe and had her hair in braids. She looked so young, even younger than her peers. Dumbledore had warned Severus that this was the year that the girl would come to Hogwarts, like Severus would have ever been able to forget that fact.

Severus watched as the girl turned nervously to Potter to whisper something, twisting her hands and rocking slightly back and forth. Potter gave her a slight smile and whispered something back. The child broke into a grin. Severus noted that her smile was just like her mother's. He impatiently tapped his fingers on the head table. He didn't like that Potter and the girl seemed to be on friendly terms. "They must have met on the train. That's just great. With Potter's influence, she will turn out just like her insufferable father. But here now the sortings are about to begin. Is it too much to hope…" Severus abruptly brought his musings to an end as he focused on the sorting.

He listened lethargically as Hannah Abbot got sorted into Hufflepuff. And then he sat up a bit taller…

"Sarah Grace Black" Professor McGonagall called.

--

Grace Black looked up at her clock. The apartment seemed so empty without Sarah there. Grace hated the quiet because in the quiet, she could think and when she thought, doubts would consume her.

"Was I right to keep Sarah away from all of this? At the time, it seemed so right. I couldn't stay. But now…"

Groaning, Grace put her hand on the couch, pushing herself up and went into her bedroom. Her feet were cold again and warm socks were just what she needed. She opened up her top dresser door, sifting through in attempts to find a thick pair of wool socks. Instead, her fingers felt something hard. Her top drawer was one of her spots where Grace "hid" mementoes from her past. She wasn't successful- Grace knew that when her back was turned, Sarah would often go and sort through her drawer looking at its contents. Digging deeper, Grace wrapped her hand around the object and pulled it out. There was her wand. She fingered it carefully.

"At least, I told Sarah some things- she isn't totally unprepared." Grace sighed. Forgetting about her socks, Grace felt the urge to revisit the past. She shuffled through her drawer until she found a photo album. There are still nights, ten years later, when she still can't resist picking up the album and remembering what her life was before, especially now when she never felt more alone.

Grace tenderly opened the worn maroon album. Her husband had kidded her about how much she worked on this album. "Come on Gracie, just throw the pictures in" he teased.

But she insisted on working with care, saying "one day we will look at these and show our grandchildren."

"Now you are just making me feel old, love, talking about grandkids. We are too cool to be 'remembering when' with our grandkids. We will be taking them out flying at 65 like the hip grandparents." He laughed.

Chuckling at the memory, Grace fondly looked at the first picture. There was her and her best friend Lily Evans Potter hugging each other.

"Oh, Lils, I still miss you. We should have been doing all of this together" Grace whispered.

She flipped the picture. The next picture had six people smiling and laughing--four boys, two girls. Her eyes grew moist as she touched the face of one of the boys. He had one arm around James, the other around Remus. She looked at Remus, one of her dearest friends and the only one left. "I wonder where old Moony is these days." Grace sighed.

The next picture is always the one that when Grace looks at, she can't stand the feelings that rise deep within her. Part of her loves this picture, but part of her despises what it represents- a lie. There is Moony again and Peter. To their right are James and Lily Potter. James is holding a little boy with glasses- a miniature version of him. He has one arm around Lily and the other around little Harry James Potter. And standing next to them is the man she can never forget--the man who supposedly betrayed them all. He had one arm around her, the other holding a baby- a little girl, their baby girl. Sirius Black looking very much like the proud daddy with their daughter, Sarah Grace Black, in his arms.

Grace threw the album back into the drawer. She couldn't take it anymore. Ten years later, the pain is still too great. It should have gotten better, but even time couldn't heal this wound. In one moment, she lost her best friends at the hands of her husband. Harry James Potter, now known as the boy who lived, became an orphan. She wanted to take him and raise him with Sarah, but Dumbledore had insisted that Harry be raised by his aunt and uncle. In that moment, she was forced to raise their daughter away from her family and the friends she had left behind.

Grace gripped the dresser as a wave of dizziness hit her. She sank to her knees unable to support herself. The doctor told her this was normal, even to be expected.

In her weakness, Grace chastised herself, "I prepared Sarah for some things. I gave her a crash course in charms, potions, and defense. I told her about her father being in jail. But I was too weak to tell her the complete truth. Not only the truth about why her father is in jail, but the truth about me as well. I'm such a fool" Grace thought. For the truth was that Grace Eileen Black would soon be rejoining her dear friends James and Lily Potter and when she did Sarah would have no one.

Grace glanced anxiously at the clock in her bedroom. "The sorting should be happening now. I wonder…"

--

"Sarah Grace Black" Professor McGonagall called.

Sarah reminded herself to take deep breaths. She turned to Harry and gave him a half smile. She met Harry Potter and Ron Weasley on the train to Hogwarts. They all shared a compartment and ate lots of candy from the trolley. Hermione Granger also introduced herself during the long train ride. Although she was a little bit of a know it all, she seemed nice enough. In fact, everyone seemed so nice except Draco Malfoy. "Who is that kid anyway?" Sarah thought.

She glanced at the head table as she approached McGonagall. The headmaster met her gaze with the glimpse of a smile. She saw that he turned to his left to whisper something to a greasy looking man with dark hair and eyes. That man seemed strangely familiar. He reminded Sarah of someone, but whom?

Feeling that everyone was watching her, Sarah blushed. She hated to be the center of attention. Ducking her head, she quickly sat on the stool as McGonagall placed the hat on her head, closing her eyes.

"Humm" the hat hummed. "a pureblood."

Sarah was startled as the hat started invading her thoughts. "A what?" Sarah thought.

"You come from two of the most prestigious wizarding families. Take the Blacks on your father's side. Slytherins the lot of them- that is except your dear father. And I do see a lot of Slytherin in you. You have a drive- a desire to succeed. Slytherin could help you do that. You could be powerful, very powerful indeed- the potential is there. But ahhh, there is something else. Oh, yes. Bravery. Lots of it. And given your history, you are going to every bit of it."

"I am?" Sarah thought. "Why am I going to need it?"

That hat ignored her and continued its deliberations. "Let's see. Your mother and father were both in Gryffindor although their families were all Slytherins. Your Uncle Regulus…"

Sarah shifted. The last thing she wanted is a family history lesson especially with everyone staring. "Um, I don't mean to interrupt. But everyone is staring. Can you just make a decision?" Sarah thought.

"Humm…touchy. Alright then….Gryffindor!" the hat shouted.

Sarah jumped down off the stool to the applause of her classmates. McGonagall gave a rare smile though quickly suppressed it. Sarah sat down at Gryffindor's table next to Ron's twin brothers. They smacked her on the back.

"I'm Fred. And this is George. Down there is perfect prefect Percy. If you want to be bored all the time, listen to him. But, if you want to have fun at Hogwarts, we can show you how." Fred said with a mischievous smile.

"We know wicked tricks to play on all the teachers. We could tell you some of them, but…" George jumped in.

"then we would have to kill you. However, we might be enticed to share some depending…" Fred continued.

"On your propensity for mischief." George finished his brother's statement.

Sarah smiled. "Propensity?"

"We looked it up on the way here. We had to fill our summer essays with something that sounds good" Fred explained.

Sarah laughed. She liked the twins. They were fun. Most days, she was somewhat reserved and followed the rules set forth by her mother. She rarely got in trouble at home. But there were sometimes, when "her father's personality" took over as her mother called it. She hated to disappoint her mother, but here what Mum doesn't know won't hurt her.

Kicking her feet underneath the table, she quickly glanced at the head table. The headmaster gave her a kind smile, while the man with the greasy hair's eyes narrowed. But Sarah was too excited to give it much thought. Little did she know what was to come the next day in that man's class.


	2. Ch 2 What Not to do in Potions Class

**Author's Note: **I am hesitant to continue posting this. I understand people don't like OCs and that it may not have much of an audience. But, I really do love this story and it's my first go at fanfiction. So, I decided to continue posting it in hopes, someone somewhere will enjoy it. I think my dialogue is accurate, but if I put some Americanisms in there unwittingly, I'm sorry! Ok, Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Don't own it, JK Rowling does. If I did, I wouldn't be getting ready to grade papers right now on a Saturday night.

**Chapter 2- What not to do in Potions Class**

Ron, Harry and Hermione also got sorted into Gryffindor. Today was the first day of classes, and Sarah was getting dressed. Looking in the mirror, she put a maroon ribbon in her hair. Her mother had packed a handful of maroon ribbons in her trunk calling it a "hunch". Although when unpacking, Sarah also found, buried deep within her trunk, some dark green ribbons with a note in her mom's even handwriting. It read "my hunches are sometimes wrong" which she assumed meant that her mom thought it was a possibility she could be sorted into Slytherin. She was thankful when the sorting hat put her in Gryffindor so she could stay clear of Draco Malfoy. That boy infuriated her!

Last night, the twins secretly taught Sarah a hex after she told them what a prat Malfoy was being. He had come up to her at dinner…

"_You're a poor excuse for a Black. Gryffindor indeed. Some say Gryffindors are brave. Too bad your father was such a coward." Malfoy sneered. _

_Harry and Ron had jumped up in outrage. Harry, of course, knew nothing about Sarah's father, but Ron knew that Sirius Black was in Azkaban, the wizard prison. _

_They were about to hurl themselves at him, when the man with the black eyes passed by. "Move along Draco" he commanded, before glaring at Harry and Ron. _

Later, Sarah told Harry, Ron, and the twins what little she knew about her father. She also filled the twins in on the Malfoy incident. Upon hearing this, the twins took her aside and taught her a simple hex that would turn Malfoy's hair maroon. It took several tries, but Sarah finally got it. She was prepared if Malfoy decided to bother her today.

Sarah studied herself in the mirror, making sure she looked alright. She was nervous about the first day of classes, but she was excited to discover what they would be like. All she knew was that Malfoy better not mess with her today.

-------

Morning classes went well for the most part. Hermione answered way too many questions to the chagrin of Ron, Harry and Sarah and well, to put it frankly, everyone else. Sarah knew most of the answers from what her mum made her study over this summer, but she knew better than to answer more than one of them. Nobody likes a know it all after all.

That afternoon, they had double potions with the black eyed man. The twins had warned her about Snape, but she wasn't prepared for just how awful he truly was. After talking about "ensnaring the senses" or something stupid like that, he berated Harry on not knowing the answers to certain questions.

"Why would Harry know the answers to the questions anyways?" Sarah thought as her temper started rising listening to Snape. "He was raised by muggles who hate wizards." She had found that piece of information early on in her conversations with Harry. She thought he was trying to make her feel better about her dad by telling her about his relatives.

"Clearly, celebrity isn't everything." Snape sneered.

Up until that point, Sarah had been sitting and doing an admirable job controlling her rising temper as Snape hounded Harry. But at the last line, the straw broke.

Before Sarah could stop herself, she blurted out, "Harry never said he knew the answers! If you knew him, you would know that he doesn't think himself as a celebrity. Hermione knows the answers, why don't you ask her?"

Snape's eyes narrowed at Sarah's outburst. "Detention Black. 7:00 pm."

Behind her, Malfoy snickered and said under his breath, but loud enough for Sarah and everyone else to hear, "Stupid, bloody Gryffindor. Sticking up for the little Potter who can't stick up from himself. Oh, your father would be so proud. Oh, wait. I forgot. Maybe not." He laughed.

Harry put his hand on Sarah's arm, but it was too late. She yanked out her wand and perfectly executed the hex the twins had taught her. As Malfoy's hair turned maroon, Sarah coolly said, "who's laughing now Malfoy?" But as she turned back around, she saw the look on Snape's face.

"Maybe hexing Malfoy in front of his head of house in the middle of potions class after I angered Snape wasn't the best idea." Sarah grimly thought.

-------

Severus Snape stared at the clock. 6:55 pm. He was disgusted. He had expected that Black may have some of her father's personality, but what he saw today reminded him solely of Sirius Black. How he hated Black the Father! After class, he marched straight up to Albus Dumbledore to tell him of the incident. And all the old coot could say is that maybe Sarah felt provoked. At that Snape lost his temper and started ranting for ten minutes on how much he hated Sirius Black and how Potter the kid and Black the kid are going to be just like their obnoxious fathers.

Dumbledore let him fume. When Snape had nothing left to say, he gently put a hand on Severus's shoulder. "While I know what Sarah did today was wrong, don't let one incident prejudice you against her. Sarah is not Sirius Black. Harry is not James Potter. And you must remember who their mothers are. Grace and Lily were two of the most loving, kindest, brightest witches at Hogwarts in their day. Both Sarah and Harry need you Severus."

Severus couldn't deny the truth in what Dumbledore had said. But after he left Albus's office, his anger took back over. He couldn't let go of the past that easily. Because of Lily, he would protect Harry to his death, but Grace also betrayed him when she married Black. It was hard to get past that.

There was a knock on the door. "Enter" Snape barked.

-------

Sarah slowly opened the door. "Come here." Snape firmly commanded. His gaze was hard as Sarah approached him. When Sarah got in trouble at home, there was always an underlying gentleness in the way that Grace disciplined her. Even though she could definitely be firm, Sarah understood that her mum loved her. After today, Sarah knew that Snape hated her. Sarah felt her heart skip a beat as Snape motioned for her to sit in front of his desk. He had been grading essays, and as she sat, he quietly laid his quill aside.

Snape looked at the girl. "She looks like Grace. Tough on the outside but beneath it, she is falling apart." he thought.

He stared at her for a few moments before asking, "Do tell me Miss Black. How long have you been at Hogwarts?"

"One day." Sarah managed to answer, slightly twisting her hands together.

"And in that one day, you earned yourself detention. Why are you here with me in detention Black?"

Sarah had expected the question. She had thought a lot about the best way to approach this detention. She had decided that while she thought Snape was a royal pain in the behind, she should be respectful lest she get in more trouble. She was not a fool after all. "Well, sir, I lost my temper. I was disrespectful to you."

"And…" He raised his eyebrow.

"I hexed Malfoy. But Professor…" Sarah started to argue. She would take credit for being inappropriate to Snape (though she thought she was right to say something- he had been completely unfair to Harry), but she would not get in trouble for hexing Malfoy. He deserved it.

"THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR HEXING SOMEONE!"

"Even if…" Sarah tried to reason.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! If you were in my house, in addition to this detention, you would be confined to your dorm room for the next three weeks. But be that as it may, you are not. Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore seem to think that it was a one time lapse of judgment and that they should be lenient since it is your first day." He paused and stared at her harshly.

"But rest assured, if you ever speak to me that way or hex another student in the middle of my class, the consequences will be dire."

He pointed to a pile of about 100 cauldrons. "There are a pile of dirty cauldrons. Wash them without magic." He said coldly as he picked back up his quill and continued grading his essays.

As he graded, Snape looked up to watch Sarah as she worked. At points her nose wrinkled up from the unpleasantness, but she worked hard. She looked young and vulnerable, so much like her mother. This afternoon, all he could see was her father, however, tonight, all he could see was Grace and that was unbearable.

About 2 hours later, Sarah whispered, "I'm done sir."

Snape walked over to the cauldrons to inspect them. "Good enough. You can go."

"Thank you sir." Sarah turned to walk to the door.

"Black."

Sarah turned half way around. "Sir?"

"Your hex today was perfectly executed. When did you learn how to do that?"

Sarah hesitated "last night."

"You have never done that before?" Severus raised his eyebrows.

"No Sir."

"I see. Don't do it again." he said sternly.

When Black left, Snape thought about what she had said. "She does have potential, if only we can get her temper under control. What am I saying? I have nothing to do with it." And with that Snape proceeded to finish marking the summer essays. He rolled his eyes as Fred Weasley used the word "propensity" half a dozen times in his essay. Between the Weasley twins and Black and Potter, it was going to be a long year.


	3. Friends and Revelations

**Disclaimer: Still don't own, JK Rowling does. **

**A/N: 2****nd**** update in one day…I like this chapter better than the previous one.**

**Chapter 3-Friends and Revelations**

Grace Black was expecting a guest-one that she hasn't seen in ten years. She tugged at her pink turtleneck sweater. Grace loved the color pink and wore it often. Although, she wasn't a "girly-girl" as some people call it, she did have her own style. Today she was wearing the pink sweater, jeans, and dangly earrings. She did a quick look in the mirror. She frowned at how thin she looked. And although, it was warm outside, Grace was freezing. "A part of the illness, I suppose."

There was a quiet knock at the door. Grace steeled herself as she opened the door. A man with sandy blonde hair and shabby looking muggle clothes stood there. Studying him, Grace knew that he had ever right to be angry and distant. In times past, she would have smiled and given him a hug before inviting him in. But, it had been ten years and Grace had abandoned that friendship for the sake of her daughter. However looking at him, he didn't seem angry- he had a gentle smile on his face, one reminiscent of times past. In that look, Grace knew that he had long forgiven her.

"Remus." Grace Black hurled herself in her old friend's arms.

"Grace." Remus Lupin held his friend tightly. It had been too long in his opinion. He understood her reasons for leaving. Sirius had betrayed them all. But to take Sarah and run without a word- it had taken him a long time to forgive her for that.

He pulled apart and looked at her. She was still very beautiful. Her dark hair and eyes, a family trait, still made for a striking combination. He smiled at the pink sweater. Some things never changed as an image of an eleven year old girl with pink ribbons flashed in his mind. He took in the sight of her but as he studied her further, his eyes grew wide. The years had taken their toll on both of them. She was thin- much too thin.

"Grace?" Remus asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Come in Moony." Grace used the familiar Marauder name. Grace ushered him into a modest looking apartment. Pictures of a little girl, around eleven, were on the mantle.

"Sit down." Grace pointed to the couch. Remus sat down and patted the cushion next to him.

They were quiet for a few minutes just looking at each other. It had been way too long. Remus was the first to break the silence as he cleared his throat.

"Dumbledore wrote me to tell me that Sarah and Harry were both sorted into Gryffindor. I can't say it was much of a surprise."

"No, it wasn't, although the night before she left, I had some doubts and packed some green ribbons in her suitcase."

Remus smiled slightly and Grace continued, "Sarah and Harry have become very good friends."

At that, Remus broke into a grin. "Some things are fate. Our junior Marauders. Its destiny. Poor McGonagall. Did you see Harry?"

Grace nodded, "I caught a glimpse of him at the train station. A mini Prongs with Lil's eyes. I wanted to run up and hug him, but I figured he wouldn't react well to a complete stranger smothering him."

Remus laughed, "Have you heard from Sarah?"

"I received a letter from Sarah yesterday. I want you to read it, Moony." Grace handed him a letter that was sitting on the coffee table.

Remus took it and read it slowly.

_Dear Mum,_

_I'm having a blast at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Fred and George are great friends. Classes are going well. Well, sort of. I may have had just a little bit of trouble in potions. Snape is such a git. Before you scold me for insulting a professor, you just don't understand what he was doing. He picked on Harry. He called him a celebrity. Harry doesn't even understand why he is famous. So, I kind of defended Harry. And then Malfoy said something about Dad and I hexed him. I turned his hair maroon and then I had to scrub cauldrons with Snape. I think Snape hates me and I want to know why. And I want to know more about Dad. What does Malfoy mean when he says that Dad was a coward?_

_Don't be mad at me for losing my temper. And don't send me a Howler. _

_Love,_

_Sarah_

Remus chuckled at the last part. "She does seem to have some of Sirius in her."

His eyes locked with hers. "I take it that you never told her the truth." He said slowly.

Grace sighed. "She knows about Sirius being in Azkaban but has no idea what for."

"Does she know about Severus?"

"No, given her feelings I think its best not to tell her about Sev right now."

"Have you talked to him?"

"Who?"

"Either one."

"Sirius writes me once a month. I never respond of course." Grace looked down at her hands and twisted them. "Moony, is there any possibility…" Grace hesitated. "Is there any possibility…that Sirius is innocent?"

Remus looked at her searching. "Grace, why would you think that?" he asked gently.

"He…In his last letter, he told me that he was. He had never done that before. Could they have switched the secret keeper?"

Remus hardened his expression, "To whom, Grace? Me?"

"You?! NO! I mean Sirius told me that he thought maybe you were the spy…but I never believed it. And given his doubts, he wouldn't have encouraged James to switch to you…maybe Peter?"

"Grace…"

"I _know_ Moony it is a long shot, but…" Grace became agitated.

"Grace, _what_ is this really about?"

"What do you mean?" Grace feigned innocence.

Remus shot her a look. He rose and started pacing. "Grace, I get a letter ten years after hearing nothing from you."

"I _wanted_ to write. I just didn't know how."

Remus stopped his pacing. He looked at her wearily. "I believe you. I wanted to search for you and Sarah. Time and again. I didn't know how. It was like grief swallowed me whole. Not only did I lose James and Lily- you, Sarah and Harry became strangers to me. And Sirius…"

Grace stared at him. "Remus…I need to tell you something. I just don't know if I can." Her voice started to choke.

In an instant, Remus was beside her. He sat down, reaching for her hand and gently squeezed it. "How much longer?" he said quietly.

"How d..d..did you know?" Grace stuttered.

"Grace, you have never been good at hiding secrets. Three reasons. One, you look way to thin. Two, I knew there must be a huge reason for you to contact me. Three, you are desperate to believe Sirius is innocent."

"Not long. I haven't told Sarah…I can't Moony. I can't" Grace turned into Remus burying her head into his chest and weeping. Remus held her close rocking her slightly. Even ten years apart, it was like no time had past. While Grace was Sirius's wife, she held a special place in his heart because of her love and acceptance. She was a true friend to him growing up and she was the only one left of their band of friends.

He pulled her back to look into her face. "Grace, you need to tell Severus" he commanded gently.

"I knoooow…I will. Remus…" She paused, afraid to ask because she feared the answer. She knew she had no right, but she also realized that if forced to face her illness alone, she wouldn't have the strength to endure.

"Will you stay here with me?"

"Grace, it's not safe…you know my condition." Remus let a dark shadow pass over his expression.

"Remus John Lupin, Stop it right now. Do you know who you are talking to? I'm still pretty proficient in potions. I already made enough Wolfsbane to last a while. Moony, I need you. I have nobody."

Remus hesistated only for a second longer. "Ok, Gracie."

Grace smiled. Remus only called her "Gracie" a few times, all in sweet moments of their friendship. "No one has called me Gracie in a long time."

Remus chuckled, "You never did like me or Prongs calling you Gracie. You would only let Severus and Sirius call you that."

Grace laughed. "It was always sweet when you called me Gracie. You have my permission to call me Gracie as much as you want Moony"

Remus shook his head, "Nah. If I called you it all the time, it would lose its effect." He gave her a mischievous look.

"Stop that." She playfully swatted his arm.

Remus laughed again dodging her but then became serious, "Speaking of Severus, enough procrastinating, Grace"

"Ok, Ok. I'll do it." Grace stood up, moved to the table and reached for a quill and a piece of parchment…

"Dear Sev" she wrote.

-----------

Severus Snape thrust a letter at the Headmaster.

"_Why_ would Grace Black want to see me after all this time?" he asked.

Albus looked at him gently. "Maybe she wants to make things right now that Sarah is in school."

"Doubtful…she had to go off and marry that Black and procreate and now…"

"I think you should visit her. That's my opinion." Dumbledore replied.

"Who asked you anyways?" Severus glared at him.

Albus threw back his head and laughed. "You did, my dear boy. Why else would you come here?"

"There are times Headmaster, when I think I might hate you." Severus replied.

---------

"Grace, is there anything in particular you want to eat?" Remus asked.

Grace looked at him wearily. "I'm not so hungry, Moony." Grace was lying on the couch trying to save up enough energy to face Snape. It had been a week since she had wrote him and she thought that by now, she would have prepared herself. It was hard though because at the moment, she was also trying to fight the feeling that she would lose what little breakfast she just managed to get down.

"Ok, I'll just pick up a few groceries then." He went over to the couch and wrapped a blanket around Grace, kissing her cheek. His hand rested on her face for a moment and Grace, needing to gather strength from him, reached for him. Remus taking the hint scooted Grace over as she sat up and he sat down next to her. Grace leaned against him on the couch. She felt comforted by his close proximity and calm demeanor. Remus was always the steady, calm Marauder.

"What are you scared of Gracie?" Remus asked softly playing softly with her hair. His voice was intimate, drawing her out of her tendency to keep her thoughts to herself. When he came to live with Grace, he noticed that this was one of the biggest ways Grace had changed. For so long, she had to depend on herself and she had put up walls around her thoughts and feelings. He understood perfectly what she was doing, because it is what he tended to do because of his problem. Having friends like the Marauders had helped him immensely. He hated to see Grace so aloof. But in the past week, Remus was slowly breaking her walls down through his patient kindness.

Grace's voice broke as she responded honestly. "I'm ashamed Remus. I'm _so_ ashamed. What if he doesn't forgive me and I die knowing that I totally screwed up and couldn't fix it? I don't think I could bear it"

Remus continued to stroke her hair. "You have to give him a chance Grace. And give yourself a chance; you are a lot stronger than you think you are."

Grace took in his words for a few minutes, contemplating them before saying reluctantly "He should be here any minute. You should go." Even though she said the words, she still leaned against him giving him no indication that she was moving anytime soon.

"Are you sure that you will be ok?" he said in a low voice.

Grace nodded and Remus gently moved Grace out of his way so he could rise off the couch. Giving her one last concerned look, he apparated out of the apartment.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Grace threw the blanket aside and made her way to the door. She was trembling as her hand reached the doorknob. She felt that the world was going in slow motion as she twisted the doorknob and pulled open the door. As she did, thoughts raced through her head. "What will he look like? Will he look the same? Will he be angry? Will he ever forgive me?"

Finally, she opened the door. She was face to face with Severus for the first time since she married Sirius Black.

"Sev…" Grace managed to choke out as she leaned against the door frame.

Severus nodded curtly. "Little sister"

-----------

A/N 2: Was that obvious? I tried to leave some hints…


	4. The Snapes

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. It belongs to JK Rowling.

**Chapter 4-The Snapes**

Flashback

"_Sev!! Come play with me pleeeeease" _Eight year old Grace Eileen Snape looked at her brother pleading with her big brown eyes. At nine, Severus Tobias Snape had started to shy away from playing with his little sister. But right then, he couldn't say no. Mum and Dad had been fighting and the house wasn't the best place to be at the moment.

"Ok Gracie. Let's go play at the playground. I'll race you to the swings."

It was a warm, spring day and a gentle breeze was swaying. There were only a few people in the park, including a little girl playing contentedly by herself. She turned when she heard the noise of other kids running. She studied them with her emerald eyes, but made no move to go over to them.

Sev had decided to let his sister win, because he thought it might make her feel better. He watched Gracie's braids bounce as she beat him to the swing.

"I beat you" Gracie said with satisfaction, as she climbed on the swing. Severus simply smiled at her. "I'll beat you on the way back."

Grace tossed her head. "Not a chance."

Severus climbed on the swing next to her and they silently swung side by side. As they did, they both started thinking about the fight.

"Sev, do you think Mum and Dad will send us away?" Grace asked in a small voice.

"I don't know Gracie" Severus responded gravely.

"If they do, who will take care of us?" Grace had stopped swinging, and her lip trembled.

Sev dragged his feet on the ground so he could look at his sister. "I will. I will always take care of you Gracie Grace" It was a lofty promise for a nine year old to make, but Severus had every intention of keeping it.

Grace smiled at her older brother. "I know you will"

--------

Severus sat on the couch taking in his surroundings. The apartment was modest- a small kitchen was to the right. To the left was a hallway, probably that led to some bedrooms. Grace's signature touches were still there- the apartment was decorated in warm colors. A quilt with a star pattern was draped on end of the couch. Pictures of Sarah lined the mantle. Severus noticed rather smugly that there were no pictures of Black, Potter, or Lupin there.

In a rocking chair across from him sat his younger sister. She quietly rocked in the chair. Severus could tell that she was trying to calm down herself down. Grace would always fidget when she was nervous. Right now, she was twisting and tugging at her hands. How Severus missed her! He wanted to hate her for choosing Black, but looking at her, he was reminded of the vulnerable little girl who asked him who would take care of her. The bond between siblings was incredibly strong growing up. Part of it had to do with them being the only kids in the family, but also because of their parents. Tobias and Eileen would fight often and each fight would tear both Severus's and Grace's hearts apart. That didn't leave much time for parenting. As the older one, Severus would make sure that his little sister behaved and felt cared for and loved. As such, he was fiercely protective of Grace. When Grace started dating Black, they had a huge argument. There was already tension between the two of them because of Sev's newfound prejudice against muggle-borns, but Grace dating Black was the final straw. When she married Black, he refused to see her. He had joined the Death Eaters anyways the month before, something that Grace fought against. Grace and Sirius had joined the Order of the Phoenix, the resistance movement that Dumbledore had formed. Each time, Death Eaters would come back and report that they had fought and killed another member of the Phoenix, Severus would hope and pray that it wasn't his sister. He always felt immense relief when her name wasn't mentioned. On the occasion, he would be part of the fight. Those times, he could discreetly protect her though Grace was very capable of holding her own against the most skilled Death Eaters. Since Voldemort's fall and Grace fleeing the wizarding world, he had thought of her constantly these years- wondering where she was and if she and Sarah were healthy and happy.

Severus paused in his reflections. Something about her demeanor had caught his eyes. There was something off. Even all these years later, he could tell. Frowning slightly, he considered her carefully. Her black hair was in a ponytail. She still didn't have a trace of grey in it. But somehow she looked different. Time would do that, but there was more. There had to be more. She looked exhausted and a little frail. His eyes narrowed as he watched her shiver and her teeth chatter some. The room wasn't chilly and even for Grace, it couldn't have been solely the result of her nerves. He looked into her eyes and he saw an uncertainty there. Grace shifted slightly in her seat as she noticed he was looking at her.

For ten full minutes, neither of the siblings said a word. The silence was deafening. Grace knew that since she invited Severus, she should be the one to begin, but she was still gathering up the courage. Her brother looked good- he had grown up. Grace understood what Sarah meant by the greasy hair, but besides that he looked the same. At the thought of his hair, Grace began to chuckle under her breath. She knew she shouldn't but at that moment, she couldn't help it.

Severus began to feel irritated. He hadn't wanted to come to begin with and now she was laughing. At what?

"I really can't imagine what you find funny right now" Severus said stiffly.

"You can't? The whole situation is a riot. You and I are sitting here staring at each other. We have gone more than 10 years without saying a word to each other and right now all I can think about is how my daughter is right about your greasy hair." Grace gave him a saucy look.

"I DO NOT HAVE GREASY HAIR!" At Grace's skeptical look, he managed to crack a smile. It served to ease some of the tension in the room. He would only allow his sister to tease him like that, partly because he knew it was never vindictive, only a part of her sense of humor.

"I suppose you wonder why I asked you to come. It's been so long." Grace began.

"I must admit I was surprised by your owl post. I assumed it has something to do with your daughter? I think you know she and I had a little bit of trouble the first day of class."

"She did tell me about that. And I do acknowledge she was wrong to talk back. Sarah has a bit of a temper." Grace admitted.

"That's the understatement of the century" Severus muttered.

Grace laughed. "Probably not unlike someone else you know, Sev. I want to talk about Sarah later, but first I feel like I owe you an apology."

"An apology?" Severus sputtered in disbelief. "You want to apologize to me?"

"Don't act so surprised big brother…I am capable of one."

Severus still looked at her incredulously.

Grace rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "You are making this hard…Here goes nothing."

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry I didn't fight more for us to be a family. I know you felt betrayed when I married Sirius, probably the same way I felt when you joined Voldemort. I should have continued to try to make things right between us instead of just letting you go. I just didn't think you could ever have forgiven me but I swear Sev, I never meant it as a betrayal. I wasn't choosing Sirius over you."

At Grace's last words, years of hurt, anger, and frustration that had built up from him for the last thirteen years, were finally unleashed.

"Grace, listen to me carefully and make sure you get it." He said in a low growl. "I will NEVER understand how you could marry the man who almost killed me. And you say weren't choosing Sirius over me? The hell you weren't! That's exactly what you did. And don't say HIS name!" Severus voice steadily rose until finally he was shouting.

Gracie folded her hands in her lap, not unnerved by Severus's outburst. She had quite expected it, which was partly why she was so nervous beforehand. Now that it was over, she could deal with it.

"Sirius's or Voldemort's?" Grace asked quietly.

"BOTH!" Severus barked at her.

Grace's eyes flashed for a moment but she managed to say in a calm voice, "Severus, it is ridiculous that people can't say Voldemort's name. It perpetuates the fear. He killed two of my dearest friends. He killed Lily- _your_ Lily. He wanted people to do just that- to be so afraid that they wouldn't fight back. I won't give him that satisfaction. Not EVER."

Grace paused and took a deep breath. "As for choosing Sirius, I didn't feel like I did. I married the man I loved. I know it is hard for you to believe that Sirius changed, but he did. I wouldn't have married him if he was still the man who sent you into the Shrieking Shack. In fact, I was so angry with him after he sent you after Remus. You could have been killed and I hated him for almost taking you away from me. I despised him, Sev."

Severus raised his eyebrow skeptically and opened his mouth, but Grace held up a hand.

"I was so grateful that James stepped in and that you weren't hurt. I wouldn't talk to him for months. Then one day, Sirius and I got stuck in detention together. We had to accompany Slughorn into the Forbidden Forrest. There was some trouble and he had to go check it out and he told us to just follow the path back. Well, I accidentally fell and twisted my ankle and couldn't walk. It started to rain and I wanted Sirius to go back because he had a cold, but he wouldn't. Sirius stayed there with me. He could have gone ahead, but he didn't. He ended up getting full blown pneumonia from our time in the forest, but still told me it was one of the best days of his life. I saw a different side to him that day- he was so respectful and gentle. He told me of his family and how his parents disowned him. He practically lived with James Potter's family. Under all that roughness and playfulness, there was a kind wonderful man, who had been hurt so many times by his parents' lack of acceptance. Sirius felt horrible about what he did. He realized he was cruel and foolish and he had crossed the line. When I married him, he wasn't the boy who sent you into that trap."

Severus glared at her. "Why didn't you tell me any of this? I was blind sided. All the sudden you were dating Sirius Black, the man who almost killed me. You are my sister- you were my best friend. How could you just do that?"

"Sev, I tried to explain this to you. You wouldn't listen. And Sirius wasn't the only thing that came between us." Grace reminded him gently.

"We aren't talking about my mistakes, we are talking about your husband. I'm sorry- I just do not see how Sirius Black changed. And he didn't. I was right. He killed all those people! He betrayed his greatest, dearest friends. He broke your heart."

At his words, Grace jumped up in anger. "_You_ think he did. Everyone thinks he did. I thought he did. But the Sirius Black I knew would _never_ betray his friends. The Sirius Black I knew could be a prat, but he was also the sweetest, gentlest man I had ever met. It doesn't fit Severus." She said fiercely.

Severus stood up slowly and said in a measured voice, "Grace, you CAN NOT tell me that you believe he is innocent. After all this time."

"I…" Grace swayed. She had gotten up too fast and let her anger control her. In her weakened condition, it was too much for her body to sustain. "Damn it." She reached forward to grab Severus's arm. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her trying to steady her.

At the sign of his sister's distress, Severus's demeanor softened. "Here sit down Gracie." He eased her onto the couch, his grip on her arm still tight. Grace leaned back gratefully. Severus didn't remove hand, but his grip became tighter.

Grace closed her eyes and said wearily, "I don't want to talk about Sirius anymore, Sev."

"That's good, because I want to talk about you. I want the truth now Grace." Severus said evenly.

Grace knew that tone. It was the tone he used when she was twelve and got in trouble at Hogwarts. She had run off and Severus had found her. Needless to say, it wasn't the most pleasant conversation she had ever had with him because not only had she gotten in trouble, she had run away from it, instead of facing it. Just like Tobias Snape.

Grace weighed her options. Should she soften the news somehow? Finally, she settled on the direct approach. "The doctors say it's serious…" Grace began.

---------

Severus listened intently to his sister's story. He couldn't believe that this was the way it was going to end. There had to be something he could do, but what? Sev wracked his brain for potions that might be able to help. He could create something. He had been experimenting. He made the decision to start tonight.

Grace looked at him gently. "I know what you are doing, dear brother. That's not what I need right now."

"What do you need?" Severus asked trying desperately trying to control his emotions. He was a master at that; he had to be in his role as a spy. He prided himself on keeping a tight reign on his emotions but at his sister's news, he was drowning fast. Even though they had been estranged, he always had that hope that they would reconcile and things would go back to the way it was growing up. And now in his sister's presence, that hope was being ripped from him.

Sensing this Grace reached over and threaded her hand in his. "I need you to forgive me. While, I don't feel like I did betray you, I shouldn't have been silent for so long, especially after it came out that you were spying for the Order."

Severus remained silent, but he didn't withdraw his hand like Grace expected him to. She squeezed his hand and continued, "I was at your Death Eater hearing. Dumbledore was the only one who knew I was there. He helped me polyjuice into an old lady. I was so thankful when you were cleared but I was ashamed for some of the things I said to you when you became a Death Eater, hence the silence for so many years. Did you think your sister was so weak?"

Severus wrapped his other hand around both of her hands, "We both said things that we never should have. I have been so angry with you, Grace…I wanted to hate you forever or at least thought I did. But I never could- I love you too much…. I would always think about you and Sarah, wondering…" He paused before looking at her with conviction, "And you, Grace Eileen have never been weak."

"But I am, Sev. I ran…I _ran_. I always run. I'm just like Dad."

"NO!" Severus said firmly. "Grace, look at me now." He cupped her chin. Grace fought as he pulled it up. "At me." he said as he noticed she was still avoiding his eyes. Grace met them and Severus was shaken by the vulnerability and tears that he saw.

"You _never_ have and you _never_ will be Dad. Yes, you ran, but you made the best out of bad circumstances. You did what you thought was the right thing to do. Maybe you did act a little out of fear, but you raised a well adjusted little girl. That took courage Grace. You have _nothing_ to be ashamed of." he said fiercely and after a pause added, "I can tell that you are a good mum, although maybe you lack a little bit in your discipline."

Grace gave him a weak laugh. "I suppose I am an old softie when it comes to my little girl. Severus, I need to ask you something and I need you to not respond now. You need to think about it, but I want you to seriously consider it."

Severus felt his heart lurch. "Gracie, I could never deny you anything."

"That's not true or else I would have had that new broom I desperately wanted at thirteen."

Severus laughed. "Ok, so maybe some things. But _I_ am the old softie when it comes to my little sis, so shoot."

"You, Severus Snape, Death Eater, Spy for Dumbledore, soft? Never" Grace scoffed and gave a menacing scowl, worthy of her big brother's.

Severus scowled back and they both laughed.

"Soo…I thought that maybe…um, I know you hate…well if you could look past…um"

"This century, Gracie Grace…"

"I needyoutothinkaboutbeingSarah'sguardian"

"What did you say?" Severus's heart lurched.

"I need you to think about being Sarah's guardian."

Severus frowned and ran his fingers through his head. "I'm not good with children, Grace."

"_You are a teacher_! Look, I know you and Sarah got off to a bad start, but Sarah needs you especially when I am gone. She doesn't know yet, but when she does, it will kill her. There is so much more…things I haven't told anybody. She has to have someone to get her temper under control. I know you would be firmer with her than me and I know you are thinking that you could never see past that she is Sirius's daughter, but Severus, I know you could. I truly believe you could."

"What do you mean there is more things you haven't told anybody?" His eyes narrowed.

Grace paused. "There is a…"

They both jumped as the door slammed.

"I'm sorry. I thought…I…Hi Severus." Remus Lupin was carrying an arm full of groceries.

Snape felt his blood pressure rising as he rose to his feet. "When did you tell HIM?"

"A few days ago. Please Sev. Don't be angry. I hadn't seen Remus in ten years. I needed my friends." Grace tried to stand but fell back down.

Remus hurried over and glared at Severus. For a moment, Severus could see the look of the wolf cross over his features and realized that in those few days, Grace and Remus had become closer than ever. "Stop it. Don't upset her. Don't you know what she has been going through? She can hardly eat. She can't manage to stay warm. And on top of that, she has to think about how in a short time, she will have to leave her little girl. Would you deny her the comfort of her friends…even if they are long lost werewolves whom you detest?"

Severus walked back over to them. "I'm sorry Grace. I apologize." He forced himself to say evenly, "but I really must go." He squeezed her shoulder and reached down to whisper in her ear, "I'll think about it. And I do forgive you. But if you tell anybody that I did, I will vehemently deny it." Grace chuckled, "bye Sev"

Severus walked over to the door. He paused and turned around, "Take care of yourself, Gracie." With that, he left the apartment.

Grace sighed, completely drained. Remus looked at her, "Do you think you can make it to bed?" he asked quietly.

Grace shook her head. Remus picked put one hand under her ams and another around her knees and gently carried her to bed.

"Thanks Moony" Grace said as Remus pulled the covers around her.

"Anytime, Gracie. What else are friends for?" Remus smiled at her.


	5. Narcissa Malfoy

**A/N: Thanks for all who are giving this story a chance! I really appreciate it! And to the few who have reviewed! Thanks a bunch.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own...Not mine...JK Rowling's**

**Chapter 5- Narcissa Malfoy**

After Severus left Grace's apartment, he went straight to Malfoy Manor. All he knew was that he needed to see Narcissa. Ever since third year of Hogwarts, Narcissa Black Malfoy had been his steady friend, even when every other person in his life failed him.

-flashback-

_Lily Evans ran up to Severus, her emerald eyes frantic with worry. Severus was in the library sitting at a table with a bunch of Slytherins, among them was Narcissa Black. Looking up and seeing Lily's face, Severus's heart pounded with the acknowledgement that something must be gravely wrong. The mere fact that Lily thought it was important enough to approach him in front of his Slytherin friends spoke volumes. Needless to say, they were hostile to any Gryffindor, especially a muggle born like Lily Evans. _

"_Sev!" Lily whispered. _

"_What is it Lily?" Sev asked, standing to grab Lily's arm and pull her aside, even though he knew that the others would still be able to overhear the conversation. _

_The rest of the Slytherins pretended that Lily didn't exist while shooting him silent daggers, but Narcissa Black looked up from her books curiously. _

"_Grace got in trouble with McGonagall. She ran off and I can't find her. I looked everywhere." _

"_WHAT?" Severus hissed. "She ran off?"_

_Lily nodded. "She was so upset. She wouldn't tell me what happened, she just rushed off. When she didn't come back after a while, I went to look for her. I have some Gryffindors looking too, but I knew that you would know where to find her. You always know." Lily clutched his arm tightly. _

_Severus looked around the table. Many of his friends had looked at him quizzically, but none had offered to help. While Grace Snape was his sister, she was first and foremost a Gryffindor and why would they care if she ran off? This would probably result in a further deduction of points from Gryffindor, which would work to Slytherin's advantage. Severus was too proud to ask for help, but looking around his eyes locked with Cissy Black's. _

_Narcissa flipped her blonde hair haughtily. "You guys are pathetic. Severus needs our help, but you don't care because Grace is a Gryffindor." She rolled her eyes before continuing, "I'll help you find her Sev."_

"_Thanks." He said gratefully as he gathered up his books. "Lily, why don't you go back to the common room in case she comes back there? Cissy and I will look for her on the grounds."_

_Lily nodded and squeezed Sev's arm once before heading off. Narcissa and Severus headed outside and searched the grounds. _

"_What about by the lake?" Narcissa asked. "Didn't you say that Grace likes water?"_

_Severus nodded. "She does, but I am sure Lily would have looked there." _

_Narcissa shook her head. "There are a lot of trees that could make it so Lily couldn't see her." _

"_Ok." Severus and Narcissa headed towards the lake. They searched up and down the lakeside._

"_I don't think she is here." Severus whispered. _

_Narcissa shook her head but then she heard a faint sniffle. She grabbed Severus's arm and motioned to him. _

"_Gracie? Where are you? It's Sev. Come on out." Severus said. _

"_No" came a soft sob. "You are going to be mad at me." _

"_I'm not mad at you. Come on out so we can talk." Severus reasoned. _

"_Yes, you are. Everyone is mad at me." _

"_Grace!" Severus's patience was running out. _

_They were greeted by more sobs. "See what I mean?" Grace whimpered._

"_Let me try Sev." Cissy whispered. _

"_Grace?" she asked. "Where are you? It's Cissy Black. I'm not mad at you. I just want you to come out. I will make sure that your brother doesn't yell at you. You know I will."_

_Grace peeked her head out of her hiding spot underneath a tree. _

_Narcissa went over and sat down by place where Grace was hiding. _

"_Severus is worried." _

_Grace sniffed some more. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it. It just happened." _

"_What happened? Why don't you come out so we can talk about it?" Narcissa asked patiently. _

_Grace thought for a moment, and then giving her a pitiful look, crawled out of her hiding place. _

_Grace hiccupped. "Jeremy was making fun of me. I got so angry that I hexed him and made his nose keep growing. It's about 4 feet long now. But McGonagall saw and she was so angry. Before she could finish yelling at me, I ran. Now she is going to be more mad." _

_Narcissa put an arm around the younger girl. "She probably will, but she will be even madder if you don't come back and she has to come looking for you. As for the hexing, you will probably get detention, but McGonagall will get over it."_

_Severus approached the two of them and sat across from them on the grass. "Cissy is right, Gracie. It is better if you face it. Remember we don't run away." _

_Grace nodded. "Right, we aren't like Dad. We don't run." Grace repeated through her tears as if she was used to saying that._

_Narcissa shot him a curious look, before replying, "Grace, would you like Severus and I to come with you to see McGonagall?"_

_Grace looked at her astonished, "you would do that? But I'm a Gryffindor." She stuttered._

"_Yes, well, you couldn't help that fact." Narcissa told her quickly as she rose, a blush rising on her face. "Let's go." _

Ever since that day, Narcissa Black and Severus Snape had become good friends. An odd combination, perhaps, since Severus was not the most popular among his peers and Narcissa was gorgeous and often the center of attention. But friends they remained to this day even though she was married to Lucius, who Severus did not trust. While Lucius was a little bit too committed to the dark side, Narcissa Black Malfoy, even though she supported her husband, never took the dark mark like her husband and sister. She was dedicated to one thing and one thing only- keeping her son safe. She believed Voldemort would come back and when he did that Draco would feel pressure to follow in his father's footsteps. Nothing scared Narcissa more. She knew that Voldemort turned on his followers way too easily.

Severus entered Malfoy Manor and was escorted into the sitting room. Narcissa was sitting curled up on the couch, her blonde hair in a loose pony tail. She was reading a book, but when she saw that it was Severus, she tossed it aside.

"Sev?" Narcissa rose. She was shaken by the look of despair in his eyes and the slight hunch of his shoulders. "Is Draco ok?"

Severus nodded, unable to speak right then.

Narcissa thought that she had never seen him so lost, not even after him and Grace had the huge fight over him becoming a Death Eater and her marrying Sirius Black. He had come to her again that night. She felt a sense of dread come over her as she went over to her friend and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Here come sit down"

She led him to the couch where she sat down next to him, studying him carefully, a hand still on his arm.

"Sev, _what is it_?" Narcissa couldn't stand not knowing any longer.

Finally, Severus broke the silence. "Is Lucius here?" he asked quietly.

Narcissa shook her head no. "He is out of town, he should be back tomorrow."

Severus sighed in relief. He didn't want Lucius to know quite yet.

Narcissa could feel the anxiety building up in her. She clutched Severus's arm tighter. "Are you sure Draco is ok?"

"Yes, Cissy, he is fine" Severus assured her.

"Then, what is it, Sev? Something is wrong. Just tell me." Narcissa pleaded.

Severus placed his elbows on his knees and buried his head in his hands. Narcissa was even more shocked by this uncharacteristic move.

"Sev? Do I need to use legilimency?"

Severus gave a short laugh. "Leave it to you Cissy. You well know that even you couldn't break through my occulmency"

Cissy gave a haughty shake of her blonde head. "Well, then just tell me already. Or I shall be forced to try."

Severus looked into her eyes for a moment and reached for her hand. This shook Narcissa up even more because Severus rarely showed affection only occasionally with her and Draco.

"Narcissa, I saw Grace today." He told her in a low voice.

Narcissa Malfoy was astonished and didn't even try to hide it. "You what?" she stammered.

"I saw my sister today."

"You did? Sev, what happened? How is Grace? I thought maybe when Sarah went to Hogwarts, this might happen. That's wonderful. It is, isn't it?" Narcissa finished awkwardly, at his pained expression.

"Narcissa stop." Severus ran his free hand through his hair. "She is dying." Tears pooled in his eyes, which he quickly suppressed though Narcissa saw them as she usually did.

"Oh, Sev…" Narcissa wrapped her arms around her friend placing her head on his shoulder briefly. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too. As foolish as this is, I still love my sister."

Narcissa looked at his searchingly. "Sev, that's not foolish. You and Grace both made mistakes. We all do. What did she say?"

Severus laughed cynically, "She wants me…_me_, of all people to take guardianship of her daughter."

"I don't see what is so funny. You would be good for her."

Severus groaned. "Sarah is so…she is just so…_difficult_. She is rude and disrespectful and she has absolutely no regards for the rules." Severus crossed his arms and shook his head.

Now it was Cissy's turn to laugh. "Sounds like she needs someone to set up guidelines. It won't be easy, but when have _you_ ever been scared to take up a challenge?"

Severus ran his hands through his hair. "I'll think about it" he muttered before slouching down on the couch and sighing deeply feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I know what ever decision you make will be the right one Severus." Narcissa put a reassuring hand on this arm, before leaning against him. "And just think, I could give you loads of parenting advice."

Severus laughed. "How to Spoil My Child A class in parenting by Narcissa Malfoy. No thank you."

Narcissa smacked him. "Laugh as much as you want Severus Snape, but wait until it's your turn."

Severus turned serious once again, sighing heavily. "I can only imagine." He said grimly.


	6. Fighting a Troll is Hard Work

**Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own anything. I just write for fun and to de-stress from work. **

**A/N: **A scene between Sarah and Snape as well as Remus and Grace. Let me know what you think! Thanks to all who are still reading.

**Chapter 6- Fighting a Troll is Hard Work**

_Halloween Night_

Things at Hogwarts had been going relatively smooth for Sarah. Even though she missed her mum and wrote to her often, Sarah loved being surrounded by her new friends. The twins made her laugh and often included her in on their pranks. She adopted the role of their reliable lookout but on the occasion when they got caught, they always made sure that it looked like Sarah was the innocent bystander.

"We wouldn't want Mum to think we are corrupting you, you being a first year and all" Fred would explain, but secretly it was really that they didn't want to see Sarah get into trouble.

And how could Sarah get through classes without Harry Potter and Ron Weasley to commiserate with? Especially History of Magic! It was all they could do to keep each other awake. They had a pact going into classes. When Sarah heard snores, she had to kick the culprit in the shin. Ron and Harry often had bruises from being kicked repeatedly in the shin (Yes, History of Magic was that dull). Hermione of course enjoyed every minute of _every_ class (even History of Magic to the trio's disbelief). She especially loved to show Ron how to flick his wand and how to _properly_ say his incantations in charms class. Unfortunately as Sarah noticed, Ron didn't appreciate the help and was even starting to resent it. After one particularly difficult charms lesson, Ron, Sarah and Harry were walking together on the grounds and Ron began mocking Hermione. Regrettably, Hermione overheard the conversation and ran away crying.

Sarah smacked Ron. "Why did you have to be such a git?" Sarah scolded. "Now I have to go and make sure Mione is ok." She sighed and ran off after Hermione.

She found Hermione in the girls' bathroom. She was trying to explain how sometimes the boys didn't appreciate all the extra help and how sometimes they can be stupid when they got interrupted by what later became known as the "incident with the troll". Sarah wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but one minute they were talking and the next, she felt warm breath on the back of her neck at which point Mione screamed. The rest was somewhat of a blur. Sarah and Hermione managed to play a rousing game of hide and seek with the troll before they were joined by the boys who knocked it out due to Ron's precise execution of the Wingardium Leviosa spell (apparently Mione's coaching really worked). When the professors found them, the bathroom was in shambles, but the four were no worse for the wear, except Sarah was a somewhat disgusted by Harry's wand which was covered in troll snot. A clever lie later (given by of course Hermione) and McGonagall awarded Harry, Ron, and Sarah points for "sheer dumb luck".

Sarah couldn't believe they had gotten away with it. However, she did notice while McGonagall was upset, Snape looked seriously displeased. Sarah was about ready to go back up to the common room with the others and celebrate their good fortune when Snape addressed her, giving her a scathing look.

"Black" Severus snapped. "I wish to speak to you. Come."

Sarah turned to Professor McGonagall, but for some reason her head of house pointed after Snape, who was half way down the hall, ordering her silently to follow him. Annoyed to be singled out but seeing no other choice, Sarah followed him into the dungeons.

-------------

Snape couldn't believe it. The bratty children risked their lives. They could have been killed by the troll! As if there wasn't already enough trouble at Hogwarts. Snape had followed Quirrell up to the third floor and cornered him. "I know something is wrong there. Dumbledore has got to listen to me." Severus thought. Unfortunately, Quirrell had wormed his way out of a confrontation yet again, and Snape had a nasty bite on his leg to remind him of that fact.

In the meantime, he had the unpleasant task of dealing with his niece. While he hadn't decided yet whether to take guardianship, he still felt a responsibility to care for her in lieu of his sister. Grace would want him to keep an eye on her. He opened the classroom door and sat at his desk, surveying his niece. The braid in her hair was coming loose (not to be unexpected when fighting a troll) and her hair ribbon was falling off. Her clothes were a mess and it looked like her knee had a scrape and from Severus's position, he could tell that it was covered in dirt and dried blood. He made a mental note to examine it later. Viewing her expression, Severus fought the urge to laugh. Sarah had a scowl on her face, but not just any scowl- the famous Snape scowl. She was more like him that she would ever know. Her arms were crossed in a way that was clear to him that this child was annoyed he singled her out, thus interrupting her fun. Forcing his face into his own classic scowl, he addressed his sulking niece with a low growl.

"Sit down Black." Snape ordered her in a voice the dared defiance.

Severus noted the flash of fire in Sarah's light blue eyes and for a moment, he wondered if she would obey. But with a dramatic sigh very reminiscent of Grace, Sarah sat down in front of her potions professor.

"Why am I here?" Sarah asked impolitely, continuing to scowl.

Severus frowned at the disrespect. While he was aware that a majority of the children at Hogwarts hated him, they feared him enough to remain polite lest he make their lives miserable. But clearly, Grace's little girl was an exception to the rule. "First of all, you will refrain from speaking to me in such a disrespectful tone of voice, young lady." His faced hardened and he raised an eyebrow as if to challenge Sarah to disobey.

Sarah flamed at Snape's statement. Her potions professor has had it out for her from her first day at Hogwarts. She hated him so much and without thinking of the consequences, she muttered defiantly, "Or what?"

"2o points from Gryffindor and detention for the next week for your disrespect. One more word out of you and I'll make it a month." Severus said coldly, through clenched teeth and even Sarah got the message that she had better stop it.

Sarah closed her eyes briefly. "Why, oh, why couldn't I have just kept my mouth shut? The stupid, arrogant git. I hate him."

She took a deep breath trying to get her anger under control. Her mum always told her to count to ten. "Here goes nothing…one, two, three, four get it." The last thing she wanted was more detention. Swallowing her pride, she managed an "I'm sorry _professor_."

"Thank you. Now I want the truth Black. What happened tonight?" Severus's eyes drilled into her. He folded his hands in front of him and waited.

"What Hermione said happened. We already explained this." Sarah responded impatiently, tapping her foot.

"Yes, you did and now I am asking for the _truth_." Severus continued to stare her down which he noted with some satisfaction caused the child to squirm slightly.

"I know for some _Gryffindors_" Snape spat as if saying a dirty word, "telling the truth is a practice simply avoided. They feel that they are above being held accountable for their poor choices."

Still, Sarah said nothing.

Severus continued to press. "Still, the truth has an unfortunate habit of coming out when one least expects it." Severus tapped on his desk, "and when it does Black, it makes the lies all the worse."

Sarah frowned and twisted her hands, a nervous habit inherited from her mother. Unfortunately, Sarah had no idea that this sign of discomfort was easily recognized by Snape. What she did not know is that Snape was well aware of how to tell a Snape woman was feeling guilty. The first clue was the twist of the hands- it was a dead giveaway and Sarah was after all, a Snape.

Sensing weakness, he stared her down for the next several minutes with an expression that would make fifth years quake, but still the child wouldn't budge. "Merlin, the child is stubborn" Snape thought.

Finally, Severus slammed his fist on his desk making her jump. "So be it, Black. However, if I ever find out that the story in the bathroom wasn't the full truth, I will hold you personally accountable." He said icily in a tone that left Sarah with no doubt that he was serious. If he ever did find out, she would be in major trouble!

"Me? There were three other people in the room." She argued, though her tone was slightly defeated.

"Yes, but I only asked _you_ for the truth. Thus, it will be _you_ facing the consequences" Severus replied evenly looking at her sternly. "Are we understood?"

"Yes" and at Severus raised eyebrows added a quick "sir".

"Now" Severus said as he stood up with a swish of his robes. "Allow me to look at your knee". He pulled up another chair and bent down beside her to examine it carefully.

"Just a scrape though it bled quite a bit" he determined thankfully. "You were fortunate Black that you came out with no more than a scrape. Next time, you might not be so lucky" With a swish of his wand, the knee was cleaned and bandaged.

Sarah looked at him with surprise. "Thank you. I didn't even notice it." She paused and looked at him evenly "You know sir, fighting with a troll is hard work"

A slight grin passed over Severus face but came and went so quickly that Sarah was sure she imagined it. "Naturally" he responded dryly. "You may go now. I'll see you tomorrow for detention- 7 pm sharp. Go straight back to your common room Black. If I find out that you didn't, I'm extending your detention by 3 weeks".

"Yes sir" Sarah said as she rose from her seat.

Severus watched Sarah as she left. He sighed. What he had to do wouldn't be easy. The child clearly hated him. Severus was loathed to admit it but that fact bothered him. Still, she is Grace's daughter and maybe with a little care, she wouldn't turn out like her despicable father.

--------------

Halloween was always hard for Grace Black. It was the night that Voldemort killed her two best friends. She and Remus spent it sitting on the couch listening to music but not saying a word. They were both exhausted. Remus's transformation two days before was difficult and had left him drained. And Grace was fighting a cold. With her weakened immune system, it would easily turn into something more serious. Now Grace was lying in bed thinking about that horrible night. Sighing, she walked over to her closet. Shuffling things around, she found what she was looking for. A box full of Sirius's letters. Letters from their days at Hogwarts, letters from their married years, letters from his imprisonment. One for each month that he had been in prison. Needless to say the box was over flowing. She looked through a few of them.

_Dear Gracie,_

_I was a git. Forgive me please? Moony and Prongs also echo what I write._

_Hey Gracie, its Prongs. Padfoot is the BIGGEST prat in the world. And he does feel really bad. If he ever argues with you again, Moony said he will personally slap him around for you. Just remember, Paddy is highly insecure so when he sees you talking with another boy, the arrogant jerk side of him takes over. _

_Sorry Grace, I should have never let him have the parchment. I am NOT highly insecure, but I do get a little unreasonable at times. You are allowed to have friends even if they are boys. Just keep those boys at Wormtail, Prongs and Moony. That's three boys you can be friends with. Wait, don't throw down the parchment and find me to hex me. I was just joking. You can be friends with whoever you want, as long as I am your best friend. _

_I'm a fool Grace. But it is only because my love for you makes me a fool. _

_Love,_

_Sirius_

_PS. Smooth Paddy. JP_

_PPS. Grace, I personally think you should make him sweat it out a little longer. RL_

Grace put the letter aside, chuckling. She remembered receiving that letter for the first time. She had took Remus's advice then pretended like she was going to hex him before flinging herself into his embrace. She put the letters back and walked over to the nightstand by her bed. Crawling back under the covers, she opened the latest letter from Azkaban, just received today. She took a deep breath and held the letter in shaking hands.

_My dear Grace,_

_It is getting harder and harder to keep my sanity. The dementors are feeding off my worst fears and nightmares. Most people only last a few months before losing their grasp on reality, but as you know, I am not like most people. It is only by thinking about you and Sarah, that I am able to keep most of my sanity intact. I remember all the good times our first kiss, our wedding day, the birth of our child, the way you smell and taste. I remember how it feels to hold you and the way Sarah can melt my heart into pieces by one "da da" I focus on the good times with Prongs and Lily and Moony and my godson Harry and our daughter. I am determined to keep my mind for all of you. _

_Gracie, my love for you made me a fool. I thought Voldemort would come straight to me. He would know I was the secret keeper and would kill me. I would have gladly died for James, Lily, and Harry, but in a selfish moment, I couldn't bear to leave you a widow and Sarah fatherless. I was so angry at Peter for betraying us all, I lost control. I never meant for all those people to get hurt. I was only focused on avenging James and Lily. I'm sorry Gracie. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. _

_Yours,_

_Sirius_

_PS. Give our little one a huge hug for me, but you don't have to tell her it's from me. _

Grace read the last part through blurry eyes. She did believe him, heaven help them all, but what could she do? What Sirius wrote, it made sense to her. Sirius wouldn't have betrayed them but he would have become incensed when he found out what Peter did. She decided to make a copy of the letter and owl it to Dumbledore. He would know what to do. Once that task was done, she grabbed a piece of paper and through her tears began composing a letter to her husband.

_Dear Sirius_

Thoughts raced through her head. She didn't know what to write and part of her felt guilty for taking so long to believe him. Sighing, she realized that she would have to finish it later. It was too hard, especially tonight of all nights. She quickly placed it under some books before curling up in bed and sobbing deep, uncontrollable sobs. She should have never believed to begin with that he was capable of betraying them. She should have trusted him and their love more than that. And now, there was not enough time left. Even if a miracle happened, and he was eventually released, it would be too late. She would never see her husband again. When she thought he had betrayed them it was easier. Now believing he never did made her desperate for him. She cried for her, for her daughter, for her husband, for Remus, for Harry, for Lily, for James. If only things could be different. She heard a soft knock on her door and Remus quietly enter. She didn't fight the strong arms that surrounded her and she turned to sob into his chest.

"What is it Gracie? Won't you tell me?" Remus asked tenderly, holding her tight.

"It…is…just…all…messed…up" Grace sobbed. "It shouldn't be this way."

"No, it shouldn't" Remus responded seriously.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to leave Sarah. I don't want to never see Sirius again. I'm not strong enough. I'm really scared Remus." Grace hiccupped.

Remus sighed. "I am too."

Grace sat up and moved to look at him tears still streaming down her face, but calming down slightly. The trace of the moonlight was filtering in through the lace curtains and shining on his face, so she could see his expression. There was a mixture of sorrow and love and guilt all wrapped up in his one look.

"I'm sorry. I never thought how this would be on you to have to go through this with me. To you regret it?" Grace felt very vulnerable looking at Remus and Remus perceiving this, reached to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and cupped her face.

"You know I don't Gracie. I just wish I could take this from you. Why not me? I live a half life anyways." Remus responded sorrowfully, tears forming in his eyes.

"You don't have to, Remus. You have a lot to offer this world. I don't know what I would do without you. You have to stop looking at yourself as a werewolf and start looking at yourself like a man. Promise me that you will try to do that. Please don't be scared to live, Remus."

Grace reached to wipe off the tears that were now falling down his face. The gesture was intimate and both were aware that it would be far too easily to cross over the line. While she loved Sirius, it was Remus who was here, comforting her. And she did love him, only in a different way.

Remus took a deep breath. "Will you let me hold you tonight? I don't think I can make it through the night without being next to you."

Grace nodded and scooted back down the bed, closer to Remus and he snuggled close to her, wrapping his arms around her.

And for the first time since James and Lily died, Remus and Grace didn't spend Halloween feeling utterly alone. Not worrying about the implications, Grace and Remus fell asleep in each other's arms.


	7. The Youngest Seeker in a Century

**Disclaimer: **Not mine...and I have multiple hours worth of papers to grade to prove it!

**A/N: Thanks to all who are reading! Let me know what you think...**

**Chapter 7-The Youngest Seeker in a Century**

Time quickly passed for them all as it often does when you least want it to. As the leaves changed colors and started falling, Grace grew progressively weaker. She and Remus never talked about Halloween Night that way both of their prides still remained intact, though neither of them could deny that as Grace grew frailer their bond grew stronger each and every day. Still, they were careful not to cross the line that they had silently erected for themselves. Their love and friendship was too precious but more so there was too little time left to have it muddled up with awkwardness. Thus, they fell into a sweet pattern of simply being with each other, sharing their lives together, without being "together".

They celebrated when they found out that Harry became Gryffindor's youngest seeker in a century. While it may have been a surprise to Harry to be chosen, to Grace and Remus this turn of events was inevitable. They remembered not only James's talent, but Harry as a precious toddler flying around on his toy broom given to him by his godfather. Harry loved his present and Prongs often spent most of his day chasing after him. Even back then, the Marauders predicted that Harry would play quidditch, though they squabbled over what position he would play.

Both Remus and Grace decided to go to his first match. Soon Grace wouldn't be able to get out, but she wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world. They sat in the last row of the Gryffindor stands. Grace didn't want to interfere on her daughter's social life so they decided to wait until after the game to visit with her. After all, your first house quidditch match was a momentous occasion, and who would want to celebrate it with your mother?

During the match, Remus kept one eye on the game and one eye on Grace. She looked younger than ever and more beautiful than she when she was sixteen. While she was paler due to her illness, the creamy color of her skin contrasted with her dark features. To him, she was simply stunning illness or no illness. Dressed in Gryffindor colors, she watched the game as if it was her first quidditch match with a child-like enthusiasm. Grace was living this day like it could be her last, and as Remus painfully reflected, it could be. Sighing at the thought, he drew his thoughts away from Grace and back to the game. Harry could fly amazingly well for only being a first year. James and Lily would have been so proud. Looking at him, he could almost see James out there on the quidditch pitch once again.

Harry flew over the stands and as they watched him pass, Remus leaned over and whispered, "Does that remind you of someone?"

Grace laughed, "He may even be better than James at this age. Especially since he didn't grow up flying." She couldn't keep her eyes off Harry and she couldn't help feeling guilty for how much she missed.

Remus reached for her hand and squeezed it. "This brings back a lot of memories."

"Indeed" she squeezed his hand back, but didn't let go, holding his hand throughout the match.

"Oh no…Remus, look!" Grace glanced up frantically at Harry who was having trouble staying on his broom. She turned quickly to look at the teacher's box. She gratefully noticed that Severus was looking at Harry and muttering an incantation under his breath. "Severus is taking care of it" she said with relief. She trusted her brother immensely. No matter his feelings about the child, Severus would not let Harry fall of his broom!

After a few tense moments, there was chaos in the teacher's box. Grace looked at the situation with some confusion as she watched her brother stamp at his robes with a scowl on his face. She looked down to where her daughter and her friends had been sitting. Remus was watching too with a curious look on his face.

Suddenly realization dawning on both of them, they turned to each other and laughed. Harry was ok, thankfully, but her daughter had lit her brother's robes on fire. The culprit had to have been Sarah and her friends. Obviously, they thought Snape was jinxing Harry, not trying to help him.

"Well, Gracie, she is Sirius's daughter" Remus laughed in stitches.

"Poor Severus." Grace chuckled tears rolling down her face. She knew she shouldn't find it funny, but the sight of her brother and the glare on his face, it was just too hilarious.

"Oh, look Harry has found the Snitch" She said breathing deeply from her laughter. "Come on Harry, get it!' Grace's eyes lit up as she watched him reach for it.

"He swallowed it." Grace turned to Remus and broke out into peels of laughter again. Remus joined in. Really, it wasn't that funny, but for Grace and him, this day was about forgetting about what was to come and just living. Through the tears clouding his vision from his laugher, he caught a glimpse of Grace. Joy permeated through her and she looked like she was a student at Hogwarts once again. He would always remember the way she looked in that moment.

Still chuckling, Grace and Remus jumped up and cheered loudly with the rest of the Gryffindors as Gryffindor won the first game of the season against their rival Slytherin.

--------

Later, Grace and Remus caught up with Sarah and her friends. They had surrounded Harry and were laughing and hugging him. Grace and Remus took in the sight of the group of friends. Seeing Harry and Sarah together again was a sweet scene for both of them.

Sarah broke away when she saw her mother, surprised to see her, but having missed her for these few months, excited at the same time. "Mum!" she yelled as she ran and threw her arms around her. "What are you doing here?" She exclaimed, her pale blue eyes lighting up.

Grace held on to her daughter tight and breathed in the smell of her. "How many more times will I be able to do this?" She thought wearily, but then determined to be strong, pushed her mournful thoughts aside.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron turned to look at the pair. Noticing this, Grace quietly whispered in Sarah's ear, "Why don't you introduce me to your friends?" as she rubbed her back gently.

Sarah tugged at her mom's hand and pulled her over to the trio. "Mum, this is my friends…Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley….and"

"…Harry Potter" Grace finished for her daughter with a smile.

Harry looked at her expecting her to mention her gratitude for saving the wizarding world. After all, he got that a lot in these past few months. He would never fully understand all the notoriety. He just wanted to be Harry.

"It's nice to meet all of you. Sarah writes me about you all often. Harry, it is especially nice to meet you. I haven't seen you since you were a little one. Your mum and I were good friends at Hogwarts."

Harry looked up to her with wide eyes, "You knew my mum?" he asked.

"Yes, your mum and your dad. We were all close friends. I never had truer friends."

Sarah glanced at her mum, surprised, "Mum, you never told me that!"

"Well, yes, it's not the easiest for me to talk about…but remember how I told you about your Uncle James and Aunt Lily? Well, those are Harry's parents"

"From the pictures!" Sarah exclaimed, shaking her head. "I can't believe I never made the connection."

Grace chuckled at her expression and the toss of her braids. "Clearly, you have had other things on your mind." She eyed her skeptically, "You have been staying out of trouble, Sarah Grace?"

Sarah glanced at her sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am" and was carefully not to glance at Ron and Hermione because if she did, she was sure they would have snickered and given her away.

Harry missed this exchange. Fixated on one thought only, Harry looked at Grace with Lily's emerald eyes, "Mrs. Black, do you think that maybe you could…would it be possible for you to talk with me…" He trailed off, biting his lip.

Grace looked at him understandingly. "Lets all go out and celebrate. We got Professor Dumbledore's permission as long as we have you back in time for the celebrations that are bound to happen tonight in the common room. Ask me whatever you want. Oh, there is someone I want all of you to meet. Sarah, Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is Remus Lupin." Grace walked over and put a hand on his arm. "Lupin was good friends with your mother and father too, Harry. "

Lupin nodded at Harry, "Harry, it is so good to see you. I have been waiting a long time. You remind me so much of your father. James Potter was one of my dearest friends." Lupin turned to look at Sarah, "And you Sarah Black, well, I have certainly heard much about you." Lupin gave her a smile.

"It's nice to meet you" Sarah and Harry both said. Sarah added, "I've never met one of mum's friends before."

Harry looked at her with a smile, "Neither have I"

Grace, Lupin and the four children spent a great meal together. Ron, Sarah and Hermione listened as Harry bombarded Grace and Remus with questions about his parents. They responded with stories that made them roll with laughter. Apparently James Potter was quite the prankster in his Hogwarts' years. At the dinner's end, Grace pulled Harry aside while Remus talked to the other kids.

"Harry, I want you to know that I would have adopted you. I wanted to, but Dumbledore insisted that you got to your aunt and uncle's house. Petunia's blood will offer you protection from Voldemort when he comes back." Grace paused and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I loved your mum and dad so much. You remind me so much of them."

Harry looked at her with tears, "someone wanted me" he whispered almost inaudibly but Grace heard it. She felt anger at Dumbledore at robbing them both of these years. She knew that Lily and James would have wanted her to raise their child. She should have fought him harder to gain custody.

Grace nodded, "yes, child, someone did want you." she said as she embraced him. Harry leaned into her craving the affection he never got as a child. Grace noticed and made a mental note to have a few words with Dumbledore about Harry's aunt and uncle as soon as she could.

Grace bent down so she was eye level with Harry. She looked him in the eyes, speaking gravely. "Harry, I want you to make me a promise. I want you to promise to always be true to your friends even sometimes when it is easier to walk away. James and Lily would have wanted that. Especially to Sarah. I know that is a selfish mum thing for me to say but she is going to need you soon. Stick together, ok? Love is your greatest weapon against the darkness"

Harry nodded. In a way, he was wise beyond is eleven years. "Ok Mrs. Black" he said seriously. "Thanks for telling me about my mum and dad."

Grace smiled, standing straight and putting a hand on his shoulder. "If there is ever anything you want to know, ask Remus. Remus was often the brains behind your father's bouts of mischief, especially on how to avoid getting into trouble. Don't let his innocent nature fool you." She sneaked a glance at Lupin and from across the room, their eyes met. Remus smiled as Grace gave him a saucy look. He winked at her and inclined his head towards the clock on the wall.

A hand still on his arm, she led Harry back to the group. Sarah ran up to her and wrapped her arms around her mother. "Thanks for coming mum. I love you and miss you so much."

"I love and miss you too baby girl. Write to me soon sweetheart" Grace said, squeezing her tight once again, and stroking her black hair tenderly.

Grace turned to Remus and leaned against him as the four wandered back to their common room. "That was good." she whispered as they walked, arm in arm, back to the apparation point. She stopped, lowering her head and Remus's arms encircled her.

"Yes, it was" he responded and noticing that Grace was leaning on him heavily, said seriously, "do you think you can apparate back to the apartment?"

"No, I'm having trouble standing." Grace admitted, out of breath, a flush rising on her face. "It came on all the sudden."

"It's been a long day. It's alright. I got you Gracie" With his arms around her, Remus apparated back to the apartment where Grace went straight to bed. He felt her head and noticed that she seemed warm. One diagnostic spell later, Remus discovered she had a temperature. He flooed Severus immediately.


	8. The Greatest Weapon

**Disclaimer: **still don't own...

**A/N: Thanks for all who are reading and those who take the time to review! I really appreciate it!**

**Chapter 8- The Greatest Weapon **

Severus went to visit his sister first thing in the morning. Remus greeted him when he arrived, a worried look etched on his face.

"How is she?" Severus asked in a low voice and Remus bit his lip.

"I don't think…I'm not sure." Remus struggled. "Her temperature spikes up and down…When it gets too high, she starts talking as if Sirius is still here." Remus watched Snape grimace before continuing, "She won't eat."

"How high is her temperature now? " Severus asked, running a hand through his dark hair.

"37.8" Remus responded looking a bit shaken, "but she is sitting up and lucid."

Snape nodded, contemplating the information, "I brought a potion that might help."

Remus and Severus walked to Grace's room and Remus softly knocked on the door before opening it up and poking his head in.

"Gracie, your brother is here."

Grace was propped up on her bed, looking at the album from her drawer and fingering the picture of Sirius and Sarah. Tears pooled in her eyes. She clearly had been deep in thought, but when she saw Severus, she laid the album on her nightstand, a small smile crossed her lips. "Severus" she whispered.

"I'll leave you two alone." Remus gave Grace a gentle look before exiting.

Grace watched her brother carefully, "You look worried, big brother."

"Perhaps, that is because I am." Severus said smoothly as he walked over to his sister's bed and sat down. He put a cool hand on her forehead and frowned at the heat that radiated from it. Opening his bag, he pulled out a vial and poured it into a cup.

"Here Grace, drink this. It's a fever reducing potion." Severus handed her the cup, but when he noticed her hands were shaking too much to hold it, he held it for her as she drank it.

"UGH, that's nasty Sev" Grace said as she wrinkled up her nose in disgust.

"Can I get you anything else?" Severus asked slightly amused by her reaction. In that moment, Grace looked like she was eight again.

"No, I'm good, thanks." Grace said weakly. "But I want to talk about Sarah though. Please Severus"

Sighing almost inaudibly, Severus put the glass he was holding down on the nightstand. Noticing a picture beside the lamp, Severus picked it up. It was a picture of Grace and Sarah that from the looks of it, it must have been taken recently. They were laughing and looked remarkably alike, down to their similar expressions.

Severus studied the picture. "When was this taken?" He asked curiously.

"Yesterday after the quidditch game when we took the kids out for dinner. Remus took it."

"She looks very much like you, Gracie." Severus drew an invisible circle around the picture, "except for her eyes."

"She is a Snape, Severus." Grace reminded him.

Severus put the picture back down on the nightstand and took her hand. "Yes, indeed. She has much of the Snape temperament, mixed with her father's propensity for trouble. Your daughter is something else."

"I know- she is impulsive and stubborn. And her temper…it needs to be gotten in control. But, she is fiercely loyal to her friends and she can really be sweet. She loves so deeply even at her young age. Remus and I had a great time having dinner with the kids" Grace shivered and Snape moved to adjust the blankets around her before sitting back down.

Severus studied her carefully. "I saw you at the game. Were you holding Lupin's hand?"

Even though her face was already flushed from the fever, it turned a deeper shade of red.

"Remus and I are friends. I'm married to his best friend. Sirius and I never divorced."

"That doesn't matter. Does he know that you are just friends?"

"I th..think so" Grace stammered. "I'm dying Severus. Remus and I are just finding comfort in being with each other. It's platonic. Besides, I know this is going to pain you to hear, but I am still in love with Sirius"

Severus stiffened a little before asking, "Still after all this time?"

"Some things never change. Hand me my wand Severus. It's in the top drawer." Severus walked over and pulled at her wand and handed it to her.

"I'm not sure it is a good idea for you to be casting any spells right now in your condition" Severus frowned.

Grace ignored him. "Let see if I can remember how to do this. I guess some things you never forget" she murmured as she uttered the patronus charm. "expecto patronum"

A dog came out of her wand and jumped around her. Grace laughed as the dog tried to lick her, "I know; I missed you too."

"I don't understand." Severus mumbled. "I know this has always been your patronus but why?"

"You will one day." Grace said vaguely.

"So, your patronus has something to do with Black?"

Grace rolled her eyes, "Perceptive big brother. "Do you still love Lil?" she asked him pointedly.

Severus reached for his wand inside his robe and cast his own patronus. A magnificent doe came forth.

Grace gasped. "Oh Severus, after all this time?"

Severus responded, "I will _always_ love Lily Evans. I guess you and I are a lot alike little sister. Once we love someone, it's hard to stop"

They looked at each other awkwardly. At a few moments, Grace decided to change the subject. "It was a great quidditch match too. Though I'm sorry to say not so much for your snakes" Grace grinned and gave him a saucy look. "Or for you. You know my daughter and her friends thought you were trying to jinx Harry."

"I was trying to _save_ Harry. Your daughter and her little friends decided to light my robe on fire as a reward."

Grace smiled. "Severus Snape being out witted by three first years." She paused before asking gravely, "Is Harry in danger?"

Severus nodded but didn't elaborate.

"Voldemort?" Grace prompted.

"It's only a matter of time before he comes back. It may not be this year or next, but eventually he will."

Grace shuddered. "You will protect him, won't you? For Lily? Voldemort will want revenge. But you won't take any unnecessary risks for yourself?" Grace looked panicked. She wanted Harry guarded, but at the same time, she wanted her brother safe too.

Severus sighed. "To protect Harry, I will have to take those risks. But I will do that."

"Even if you never get credit?"

"Yes" Sev said simply.

Grace squeezed his hand. "You are a good man, big brother."

Sev shook his head. "No, Gracie, I'm not. I've done unimaginable things"

Grace's grip grew tighter and looked her brother in the eyes. They looked so very much alike at that moment. Dark eyes stared into dark eyes. Grace's voice was low, but full of emotion, "Severus, when Voldemort marked you, he didn't burn all the goodness and love out of you. He told you it made you weak to feel love, but he was wrong." Grace moved her other hand and took Severus's hands in both her own. "You act like you are still in Voldemort's clutches, but you're not. You are free from it Severus. Showing your emotions doesn't make you weak, brother, it just shows that you are human."

Grace paused. "I'm not explaining this right." she sighed.

In that moment, Severus did something that would shock anybody that knew him except for his sister who knew him best of all. He buried his head in her lap and Grace released one hand to stroke his head in a motherly fashion. While growing up, the role was often reversed, every so often, Severus's defenses would be broken and Grace would do the comforting. "Sometimes I don't feel like I am anymore, Grace." Severus admitted brokenly.

"I know you don't. But you are. Please believe that." Grace pleaded.

As if become aware of himself once again, Severus quickly raised his head, swiped at his eyes, and nodded sharply and Grace took it as her cue to change the subject, "I have to tell you something about Sarah so when I'm gone, someone will know."

Severus felt his heart pound with dread, "what is it?"

"There is a prophecy that was made six months after Sarah's birth. Only Sirius, Dumbledore and I know about it."

"What does it say?" He feared her answer but he had to know.

Grace repeated, "Born of two children of light into the month of September, daughter of the pure of blood will defy the Dark Lord with words and deeds. Friend of the chosen one, she will marry into darkness yet fight for light. Though tested, her love will triumph over darkness and death to save the ones she loves. In that last battle, she will provide crucial aid to the chosen one and be the downfall of many eaters of death."

Severus abruptly stood up and began to pace, his robes billowing behind him, as he contemplated this information with a worried frown on his face. He stopped and turned back to her. "Are you _certain_ the prophecy refers to Sarah?"

Grace nodded, "Sarah is the only girl born to Order of the Phoenix members in September. Dumbledore was the only one who heard the prophesy and he came straight to us. We agreed to have him be our secret keeper. Obviously in the wrong hands…"

"If the Dark Lord found out, she would be dead in a heartbeat." Severus stared at her, horrified at the thought that Grace's child in the hands of Voldemort.

"She needs you Severus." Grace said softly as she rested her head against the headboard. "You are perhaps the only one who can train her. She has potential; you know that, but as long as she is controlled by her emotions…"

"When the Dark Lord comes back, he will feed off of them and will use them to get to Harry." Severus replied.

"Please Sev, I know she reminds you of Sirius, but it has to be you. I know I have no right to ask this of you." Tears formed in Grace's eyes as her voice cracked from emotion.

Severus held up a restraining hand. "She reminds me more of you" Severus gave her sister a gentle glance, walking back to her bed and clasping her hand. "I promise you Grace I'll do everything to protect your daughter."

Grace let go of the breath she had been holding. "Thank you." She paused before proceeding wearily, "Severus, I hate to ask this, but as a mother, I have to. Will you love her?"

"You know I don't love easily." Severus sighed. "But with time, given the fact that she is your daughter, I think I could possibly. Though I will not coddle her" He added firmly.

"I don't expect you to. Anyways, that is not what she needs. When she finds out about my…"

"Grace please don't" Severus pleaded hating where this conversation was going.

"I have to Severus. When she finds out about my death, she will be hurt. She will lash out at all the people around her, especially you."

Severus took a deep breath, "that is to be expected. Gracie, don't you feel that it would be better just to tell her yourself? She needs closure."

Grace shook her head sadly. "I know what you are saying is right Severus, but after all Sarah and I have been through, I can't. I don't want her to remember me like this. She will be angry, but just promise me you won't give up on her." Grace urged.

Severus nodded, "you have my word Gracie Grace."

"and soon she will be going through some…um, well… changes…she is going to need someone to talk to"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I did go through it with you."

"Yes, but we never talked about it. That was one thing I always talked with our mother about. She is close enough with the Weasley boys, maybe Molly Weasley can take the lead on that."

"Fine" Severus replied.

"One more thing. She doesn't know about why Sirius went to jail. If she ever does find out, make sure she and Harry don't have a falling out. Oh, and speaking of her father…I want you to make sure the letter in the photo album in my first dresser drawer gets mailed to him. Give me your word Severus."

"You have it" Severus stiffened slightly at Grace's last request, but he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"And one more thing…"

"Ugh…Gracie" Severus let out an exasperated sigh. He was losing patience.

"I love you Severus. And I trust you." Grace reached for her brother and he tenderly embraced her kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too Grace Eileen" Severus Snape was not a man to show his emotions. But holding his dying sister, his heart was full. Sometimes he thought Dumbledore was right, love was their greatest weapon against the darkness. To truly love and feel love in return- all the power attained in this world could not match up to it.

It was the last time Grace and Severus would see each other. Grace Black died a few days later. Her heart finally gave out due to an illness contracted by her weakened immune system. Remus flooed Severus and told him to come immediately. He arrived with Dumbledore and at the sight of his beloved sister for the second time in his life Severus Snape was unable to control the tight reign he had on his emotions. He broke down in a sea of tears. The first time was when Lily Potter was murdered.


	9. The Truth Revealed

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own JK Rowling does. I worked in one line that Dumbledore said in the Deathly Hallows (or the gist of it) into this chapter.

**Chapter 9-The Truth Revealed**

"I don't think I can do this, Albus" Severus was frantically pacing back and forth in the Headmaster's office. At that moment, he felt the weight of his task pressing down on him. He seemed surrounded; like there was no escape and that there was little chance of this ending well. How could it? His beloved sister was dead- the little girl who he had practically raised. As a child, Grace put her complete trust in him. Their estrangement was difficult on both of them and one result of it was isolation. However, these past few weeks, walls had been broken down for both of them. And now Severus felt it again- the despair of losing someone so dear. And still, Gracie trusted him to the very end. And because of that trust, he was left with the insurmountable task of not only revealing the truth, but raising Sarah on his own. Even when spying for the Order, he was confident that he could perform the job and out maneuver the Dark Lord- not any easy endeavor by any means. But now, at the thought of having to tell a little girl that her mum was dead and that he, a man that she hated, was actually her uncle and now guardian, well, that prospect terrified him more than any punishment the Dark Lord could dish out.

Dumbledore looked at him with his piercing blue eyes, compassion overflowing as he put a hand on his shoulder. "You underestimate yourself, Severus. When everyone has doubted your character and your sincerity, you faced it head on. You defied Voldemort which took more bravery that most could ever hope to attain. You will draw on that bravery now"

Severus continued his pacing, "You make me sound like a bloody Gryffindor" he muttered.

"Well, you know sometimes I do think that we sort too early" Dumbledore replied seriously.

Abruptly, Severus stopped his pacing and looked at the Headmaster incredulously. "WHAT?"

--------------

Minerva McGonagall had a mission and she was determined to fulfill it. Then, she would go back to her quarters and cry over a glass of brandy. "To think that little Grace Snape is dead. Poor child" she thought of Grace's daughter. "she will be devastated" She quickly pushed her thoughts and emotions back as she approached the Gryffindor table.

"Miss Black, Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you in his office." McGonagall said managing to maintain a neutral tone.

Sarah looked at her in shock, "Me?" she gulped. "I swear I didn't do anything Professor." Sarah quickly racked her mind for any recent transgressions that would warrant a trip to the Headmaster's office. "At least not lately..." she muttered and exchanged a weary look with Fred and George.

"It's alright Sarah. Professor Dumbledore will explain when you get there. The entrance is at the gargoyle and the password is "Chocolate Frogs". Go on now dear" she urged. As Sarah passed, McGonagall patted her on the shoulder.

Minerva turned to the others at the table who were watching the scene carefully. Fred and George Weasley were whispering to each other in low tones. Minerva thought she heard something about lack of evidence. Harry's face was wrinkled up in worry. Hermione and Ron were as usual bickering over what it could possibly be about.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, you better come with me." She eyed Fred and George as well. "Yes, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, you may come along as well. I have something serious to discuss with you all."

-------------

"Close your mouth Severus" Albus said when he heard the knock on the door. "Enter"

A vulnerable, frightened Sarah Black entered the room. Severus noted that she looked incredibly unsure of herself. Severus could only presume she was wondering what the Headmaster could possibly want to see her for. No doubt she was searching her mind for any recent offenses that would require Dumbledore to summon her to his office. Her hair was pulled back in a lose ponytail with the standard ribbon in it. Severus's heart plunged at the sight of the child. Not even her eyes could not mask the resemblance Severus saw in Sarah. Now given the circumstances, he was painfully aware that every time he looked at his niece, he would think of the sister he lost.

"Sit down Sarah." Dumbledore said gravely.

Now, Sarah was trembling. She felt those darn butterflies in her stomach and she closed her eyes for a second reminding herself to breathe. She had never done anything to warrant going to the headmaster's office. Well, maybe she had, but they hadn't played a prank in a while. "If this was about a prank, wouldn't McGonagall handle it?" Sarah pondered, "yes, McGonagall would definitely have something to say about it. It must not be about that." She noticed with some confusion that Snape was there. "I wonder what this could be all about" she thought as she took a seat.

"Severus, I will leave you two alone. If you need me, you know where to find me." Albus gently patted both of them on the shoulder as he left.

Snape pulled up a chair across from Sarah and sat in it. "Sarah…" he began.

Sarah was shocked. Snape never called her by her first name- it was always Black and he always said it with sort of a sneer like almost making fun of it. It made her feel like they were in an alternate universe, one where things were all twisted.

"You _never_ call me Sarah! What is going on?" Sarah asked worriedly, biting her lip. She knew she shouldn't have interrupted but she said it before she could stop herself.

Snape sighed deeply, crossing his arms. "There is something I must tell you. Once, I do, it will explain all. But please don't interrupt because if you do, I fear the results. Can you do that Sarah?"

Sarah's blue eyes widened and she tugged at her ponytail, making strands come lose, which she absently tucked behind her ear. She had never seen this side of Snape. Well, maybe a tad of it, when he cleaned her knee. She forced herself to nod, but didn't trust herself to give a verbal response.

Severus steeled himself for the task ahead and said, "There is something that both your mother and I have kept from you. Did your mother, by chance, ever tell you her maiden name?"

Sarah shook her head. "No."

"Didn't you ever think that was strange, Sarah?" Severus asked.

Sarah's stomach plummeted. "I never really thought about it. Did you know my mum growing up or something?" Sarah felt queasy at the thought that maybe Snape and her mum actually knew each other.

Severus gave her a small smile. "You might say that. Your mum's full name is Grace Eileen Snape Black."

Sarah's eyes widened. "You mean..." She gripped the sides of her chair.

Snape nodded crisply. "I'm your uncle, Sarah. You are my niece."

Sarah jumped up in disbelief, trying to catch her breath. If she felt things were out of whack just by Snape calling her by her first name, this revelation turned her world completely upside down. Snape hated her, how could he be her uncle? And her mum wouldn't have kept that big of a secret knowing that she was going to Hogwarts. All the letters she wrote about Snape telling her mom what a prat he was, she was talking about her mum's brother? That couldn't be right!

"You can't be my uncle! It's impossible. My mother would have told me! She wouldn't have kept that from me!"

"Sit down Sarah" Snape said firmly in a voice that demanded obedience.

Sarah reluctantly sat back down and Severus continued in an even voice.

"Your mother was trying to protect you. She and I became estranged when she married your father. We hadn't seen each other in thirteen years when I got an owl from her. She wanted to see me. We reconciled in that meeting and she revealed to me something disturbing" Severus's voice broke slightly but he forced himself to continue as he placed a hand on his niece's shoulder. "She told me that she was dying"

Sarah stared at him in shock. At first, she only registered that Snape was touching her like a human being. Then she actually processed what he had said. She shook her head in disbelief. "What? I just saw her. She looked like she always does. She can't be dying"

"Looks can sometimes be deceiving" he replied softly.

In that moment, Sarah lost control. Perhaps, that moment was inevitable, only delayed by the shock of Snape's revelation. For a child of eleven finding out that the world as she had always known it had changed drastically, she reacted how any child forced to face the truth might react. Sarah Black threw a temper tantrum.

"I want to see her. I want to see my mother NOW Snape. Take me to her. I want to see my mother NOW!" Sarah was on her feet, stomping her foot, demanding the impossible. "I'll see her and we will find out once for all that you are nothing but a big liar. I HATE YOU." In spite of being in her fit of rage, she paused slightly as if realizing something. Why wasn't her mum here telling her this?

She forced her eyes to look at Snape. Her face felt red and she quickly tried to wipe off the tears that were falling. Completely unnerved, she realized that she couldn't read his expression. Why didn't he get angry with her for her outburst? Any other time, he would be deducting points and issuing detention. Instead, he was calmly watching her. In a small voice, she asked "Where is my mother, Snape?"

Snape gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain calm. He knew if he got upset, it would only exasperate the situation. Counting to ten, he responded as gently as he could muster at the moment, "Sarah, you don't understand. I can't do that. She's already gone." Severus put a tentative hand on her shoulder.

Sarah pushed him away yet again, but gripped her hands at her sides. She looked at him with a somewhat vacant expression and her next words were said with an eerie calmness. Severus recognized that they were in the eye of the storm. "Gone? As in she took a vacation because she is sick?"

Snape shook his head. "No Sarah"

"Gone as in dead?" Sarah said with the same peculiar expression.

"Yes" Snape responded in a low voice.

For a few minutes, Sarah stared at him. She felt detached from her body like someone else was saying these things for her. But at the same time thoughts raced through her mind at lightening speed.

Snape waited, tense. He knew that the storm was far from over. Now, it was only a matter of time before the eye passed and the storm raged full strength.

Slowly, Sarah began shaking in rage. "No!" her voice started softly, but began to rise with each word spoken, "She wouldn't have done that! She wouldn't have without telling me. MY MUMMY WAS NOT A LIAR!"

"Grace thought it was best this way. She wanted you focused on school instead of trying to care for your dying mother." Severus said in a calm voice and tried once again to put a soothing hand on her shoulder.

" NO! I HATE HER! I HATE HER FOR DOING THIS TO ME!" Sarah screamed, tears streaming down her face, breathing heavily. And in that moment, Sarah's only instinct told her to run- run as fast as she could away from it all. In a torrid of tears, Sarah ran out of Dumbledore's office. She didn't know where she was going. She only knew she had to get away from this place.

Severus let her go. He should have known she would run. After all, that was a very Snape thing to do. He would look for her later. But now, he didn't have the strength. He collapsed on the chair, and buried his face in his hands. "Gracie, what have you done?"

---------------

And in the Gryffindor common room, Fred, George, Hermione, Harry, and Ron were sitting, waiting with grim expressions. They did not say a word to each other, just sat and waited.

**A/N: **Ok, what did you think? It was a pretty big chapter for Sev and Sarah. More drama to ensue, of course. Please let me know what you think. Hit the review button. Thanks for those who have already taken the time to review.


	10. Unexpected Compassion

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine...

**A/N**: I can't tell you how encouraging it is to get reviews. Thanks again for all who have reviewed. I really appreciate it! Let me know what you think of this chapter:)

**Chapter 10- Unexpected Compassion**

Sarah was racing frantically through the halls of Hogwarts. She couldn't see through the tears that kept flowing, but she could care less. She was blind to everything going on around her. All she knew was that she had to get away, as fast as she could. She didn't even notice when she ran smack into a hard body, propelling her backwards.

"Hey Black. Watch where you're going" Malfoy sneered but at the same time reached to steady her.

"Get out of my way Malfoy" Sarah screamed, pushing his hands off of her.

Draco felt his anger start to rise, realizing that he should have just let her fall on her Gryffindor rear. But then, as he stepped back to continue on his way, he caught a good look at Sarah. What he saw froze him to his spot. Black was crying uncontrollably, hyperventilating, and shaking. Shocked, Draco realized that something was wrong. Indeed, something was _very_ wrong.

"Why do I care?" he muttered, trying to shake off the concern he felt, for indeed, it was an uncomfortable feeling. After all, Sarah was the bloody Gryffindor who had hexed him the first day of class.

But in spite of all logic, Draco Malfoy did care. The hexing incident the first day of classes should have made Draco hate Sarah, but instead caused Malfoy to regard Black with a certain level of respect. He would have never admitted to it and they still argued every chance they got, but it was there nonetheless. Draco was not used to people standing up to him and he sort of liked the challenge, especially when Black did it. Potter would occasionally stand up to him, but that only irritated him. He was a half-blood, he was beneath him, but Sarah…Sarah was a Black. The Blacks was a prestigious wizarding family- he should know, his mother was a Black. He supposed that was what made the difference. He remained fixed in Sarah's way.

Sarah stamped her foot in outrage. "Move it Malfoy. I'm serious." she cried, starting to charge towards him.

But Draco stood his ground and put two hands on her shoulders to stop her from getting past him. While Draco was scrawny, he was still bigger than the tiny Black.

"What happened to you Black?" he asked, this time without a trace of a sneer.

"Why do you care? Just let me go!" Sarah tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"I don't." Draco replied haughtily, dropping his hands, relaxing them by his side, but still strategically restricting her way. When she moved one way, he would move the same way. When she moved the opposite way, he would mirror her movements. "Just tell me anyways, ok?"

Sarah stopped in the middle of the hall, and put a hand on her hip. "_Let me by_!"

A group of students approached and Draco pulled Black to let a trio of Hufflepuffs by, who eyed the Slytherin and the Gryffindor with curiosity. Noticing that, Draco grabbed Sarah and pulled her into an empty classroom. The last thing he wanted was for people to talk about Black and him. It would ruin his reputation. "Tell me." he demanded when they were inside and he had closed the door.

Sarah sat down at one of the tables and put her head in her hands. Everything was so messed up already. Snape was her uncle, her mum- the person whom she had trusted most in the world- had lied to her and now was dead, and here Draco Malfoy, her enemy, of all people was asking what was wrong. It was all so twisted.

Shaking her head, Sarah answered Draco's question, in hopes it would cause him to just leave. "My mum died. She never bothered to tell me that she was sick….Just leave me alone, _please_!" Sarah's voice broke and she succumbed to the sobs she had been holding back.

Draco was stunned by Sarah's revelation. "Her mum died." He had thought it had something to do with her getting detention or someone being mean to her. He never thought it could be that. Draco thought about what it would be like to lose his own mother and for a moment he was bombarded with feelings of compassion- an emotion the youth Slytherin had never felt before.

"And" Sarah continued through sobs, her arms crossed on the table and her head down. "Snape is my uncle. And I ran away from him. He hates me. What if I have to go live with him?"

Draco was again shocked at Sarah's newest revelation- Uncle Sev was Sarah's real uncle?

Draco slid down in the seat next to her and put his elbows on the table. He stared at the wall, trying to figure out what to say.

"I'm sorry about your mum, Black." he finally said quietly.

Sarah responded with more sobs. At the moment, she didn't care that she was sobbing in front of her worst enemy.

After a moment, he continued, "As for Snape, he isn't all bad. He has been a pretty good godfather. Besides my mum and dad, he is the person I trust the most. He understands things or at least he tries to. He is different when it is just us. You'll see. I think he would understand why you ran away. "

"But he hates me!" Sarah protested. "You know how he treats me and any other Gryffindor."

"No, Snape doesn't hate you." Draco said with conviction. At Sarah's skeptical look, he continued, "He can be strict, but he is usually fair at least with me. You are not just any Gryffindor, you are his family. It makes you different." Draco paused, a gleam in his eyes. "It makes you almost Slytherin"

Sarah's head shot up and for a moment she was distracted. "Draco Malfoy! I am not almost Slytherin" Her look was indignant.

Draco cracked a grin and Sarah elbowed him hard in the stomach, causing him to double over. Draco laughed further in spite of the pain in his midsection.

"Stop it!" Sarah bit her lip. "It is not funny, Malfoy!"

"I'm sorry; I'm just imagining you with green ribbons fighting with Potter."

Sarah's mouth twitched. "The hat almost put me in Slytherin."

Draco's mouth was agape. "You serious?"

Sarah nodded. "Mum even put green ribbons in the bottom of my trunk. She thought it could have been a possibility." Sarah's face fell at the thought of her mum. "I suppose it was because my uncle is the Head of Slytherin House". She sighed.

Draco noticed her mood shift again, though at least now she wasn't sobbing. It did make him uncomfortable. "Don't worry about that Black."

"I don't think I can face him! I was so angry. I told him I hated him!"

"Then don't. Not tonight at least. Tomorrow, we can go together. He likes me, remember? And it probably won't be the first time you will tell him you hate him. Everyone tells him that from time to time. He is used to it by now."

Sarah stared at Draco confused, "_Why_ are you being nice? We are supposed to hate each other."

Draco looked uneasy, "I don't know. But if you are going to be living with Snape, then we will be seeing a lot of each other."

"That makes me feel so much better about the whole thing" Sarah said sarcastically with a toss of her head. "along with your glowing recommendation of Snape…it makes all the difference in the world."

Draco smirked but continued seriously, "Go back to your friends Black. I'll go talk to Uncle Sev now. And in the morning, we will both go and talk to him."

"Really?" For the first time that night, Sarah was hopeful. If she didn't have to face Snape alone, that would be better, even if it meant facing Snape with Malfoy. But Malfoy was better than no one, right? And Snape did like him.

"Yes, really."

"Ok" Sarah sighed, rising and leaving Draco sitting. As she reached for the door, she turned back, "Thanks Draco" she whispered. He may be a prat, but tonight, he was different. Tomorrow, she was sure he would go back to being a prat.

"Welcome. If you tell anybody, I'll deny it. I have a reputation to keep." Draco said smugly.

Sarah rolled her eyes with a sigh and walked out the door.

-------------

She slowly made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. She wondered how she would tell her friends what happened. She knew they would want to know why Dumbledore called her to his office and what transpired. She leaned against the wall facing the entrance of the common room. She didn't want to go in yet. All of this was too hard.

"Hello dearie" The fat lady greeted her. "You look pale. Are you sick?"

Sarah shook her head and remained quietly.

A few minutes later, the fat lady spoke again. "You know you have to go in there eventually, not just stare at me all night. It is quite rude to keep me waiting."

"I'm sorry." Sarah muttered. "I'm coming." She said the password and the door swung open.

"Good luck with whatever it is, dear." The fat lady said.

"Thanks"

Walking into her common room, shoulders hunched, she came face to face with her friends. They were all sitting there, waiting for her. Ron, Harry, Hermione, Fred, George…

Sarah stood in front of them unable to say a word. From their faces, she knew that they knew. She twisted up her face trying not to cry and balled her hands at her side.

It was Fred, jolly Fred- the last person people would expect, who slowly stood up and made his way across the room to her. He pulled his friend quietly into his arms. Boys hug awkwardly at Fred's age, but Sarah didn't care. She buried her face in his chest, and Fred uncomfortably rubbed her back. He didn't release her but let her cry it out. Soon, she was surrounded on all sides by George, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They just stayed that way for a long while. Other people passed by and stared slightly, but for once the common room was deserted. Word had apparently spread. When it was time for bed, Hermione decided that they should all get blankets and sleep in the common room so they did, thinking that McGonagall wouldn't care.

They were lying in the dark, when George came up with a "So, Snape is your uncle, huh? What rotten luck Black!" which received a pillow smack from Sarah and Hermione.

That perpetuated a pillow fight and for several minutes Sarah forgot about the events of the day. She was just surrounded by her friends.

As she drifted off to sleep in between Harry and Hermione, Sarah felt Harry's hand grab hers and squeeze it once. He had not forgotten his promise to Grace Black. He would keep true to his word.

-----------

Severus sat down in his arm chair, a stiff drink in his hands. "That was a disaster" he thought grimly. In the quiet, in the dark, he allowed his thoughts to shift to memories of his sister. He couldn't believe that his sister, his best friend, was dead. He saw her as a little girl, big black eyes and black braids, putting his hand in his, trusting him with her life. So much lost time. "If only I hadn't been so stupid, I could have had more time with my sister"

Severus knew it would do no good to dwell on the past, but in his grief, he could only see the past. His guilt was his steady companion.

_Grace grabbed his arm, flinging up the sleeve of his robe, to squeeze the mark on his arm, fury radiating from her. _

"_What the hell were you thinking Severus?" Her tone was harsh, and there was fire in her black eyes. _

"_That's none of your business. Go back to your precious Black" He turned away from her, pulling his arm out of her grasp. _

"_NO, I won't! Not until we talk! You just joined the forces of a man who kills for pure pleasure. He murders just to get some sort of high. He is sinister; he would turn on you in a heartbeat." Grace pulled his arm to turn him back to her, but he pushed her off again. _

"_I can choose who I associate with. And I choose the winning side. The Dark Lord will win, Grace, and I'll be damned if I am not a part of it." Severus argued._

"_What about justice, Severus? What about doing what is right?" While Grace was still furious, she softened her tone slightly, the fire in her eyes subsiding, and this time when she grabbed her brother's arm again, her touch was gentle. _

"_Like you should talk. Spare me your nobility. Like it was right for you to want to marry a man who would send your brother to his death? Where is __your__ loyalty to what is right? You are nothing but a hypocrite" Severus spit the last words at her and Grace became enraged once again. _

"_I know enough to know that people can change. You should know that too. Where is my brother? What happened to him? I DON'T KNOW YOU!" Grace shouted. _

"_Voldemort won't win Severus. I will make sure of it." Grace's dark eyes flashed with fury. "Let me know when my brother returns." _

"_I'm here. You just refuse to accept that this is who I am." _

"_I will NEVER accept that this is who you are. NEVER!" She turned around and stomped out the door._

Severus's reflections were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Enter" he barked.

"Uncle Sev?" Draco poked his head in, nervous by his godfather's tone.

Severus softened his expression, "Come on in Draco."

Draco entered and sat on the ottoman in front of Severus. "Are you ok?' he asked.

"I am" Severus glanced at his clock on the wall. "Isn't it a little late?" he added sternly.

"I was with Black. She was really upset and I promised her I would talk to you." Draco quickly explained. He knew enough not to made his godfather mad unnecessarily.

Severus raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Since when have you cared about Sarah Black?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders and offered a mumbled, "I don't. She just ran into me"

"I see"

"She told me that you are her uncle. Why did you never tell me Uncle Sev? Mum would never answer my questions when I asked about your family."

"My sister and I had a fight when I joined the Death Eaters. I didn't speak to her in thirteen years until about a month or so ago. It's not something I'm proud of Draco."

"Oh" Draco had always thought his godfather was invincible and so confident. He had never seen him admit any flaws.

"What did Sarah say?" Severus prompted.

"Well, she told me her mum died and that you were her uncle and that when she found out that she said some…well, some things to you." Draco flushed for Sarah and ducked his head. He had learned quickly not to speak out in anger against his godfather.

"She's really sorry, sir. She was just really upset. She is scared that you are angry with her. You aren't angry with Black, are you Uncle Sev?" Draco finished weakly, looking up at him.

"No, I'm not. You can tell Sarah that."

"That's what I told her. I also said I would come with her to see you tomorrow morning."

Severus gave him an astonished look. He had never seen his godson so compassionate. He supposed it was because Sarah was one of the few people to ever stand up to him and though Draco would rather eat nails than admit it, he admired her spunk. "What has come over you tonight, Draco?" Severus asked in a quiet voice.

Draco ducked his head at his uncle's look. "Well, you know…" His face reddened and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Severus in turn had compassion on the boy. "We will revisit the subject of you and Sarah Black later. For now, its time for bed Mr. Malfoy. You can stay here tonight if you want." He patted Draco's knee.

Draco nodded. "I would like that Uncle Sev."

Severus stood up and Draco followed his example.

Draco hesitated before asking, "Are you _sure_ you are ok, Uncle Sev?"

Severus put a gentle hand on his godson's shoulder, before drawing him close in a brief hug. While Severus knew that his godson could be a pompous brat more times than not, he was impressed with the level of kindness he was showing tonight. Maybe there was hope for them all. "I will be. Thanks dragon."

Draco squeezed his godfather tight for a moment. "You're welcome" he replied softly.


	11. The Greatest Gift

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it. Never did.

**A/N**: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. My job got crazy and really challenging. It is still all those things, but I'm handling it better. Please let me know what you think. This was a hard chapter to write, but I hope it turned out well.

**Chapter 11: The Greatest Gift**

"Breathe Black" Draco instructed. "It's fine. I talked to Uncle Sev last night."

Sarah couldn't help it. She was a wreck of nerves. And two alternating thoughts penetrated her mind, "My mum is dead" and "Snape is my uncle" Up until yesterday, the revelation that Snape is her uncle, would have been her worst nightmare. But now, out of those two discoveries, she would have a million times rather have Snape as her Uncle, than being without her mum permanently. Her mum was the person who was always there for her. With her father being in jail, she was left with…Snape? It was too much to fathom.

Standing in front of the entrance to Snape's private chambers, Sarah couldn't move. It was like her feet were lead. She barely heard Draco say the private password, lost in her rambling thoughts, and jumped when the door swing open.

Draco sighed when he saw that she had taken no initiative to move forward and the mere opening of the door had frightened her.

"Come on Black" he coaxed and put a firm hand on her arm and led her inside.

Snape sat in a big green armchair reading "Potions Today" journal. He looked up at Draco and Sarah, quietly putting the journal aside and stood. He noticed that Draco's hand was on Sarah's arm and he was practically dragging the child inside.

He studied his godson. He was beyond shocked when Draco entered his quarters last night and told him about his run in with Sarah. He was even more stunned by the way Draco was behaving. He knew Draco would be different in front of his peers, but apparently when it came to Sarah Black, he was starting to act different. There was a respect there. His eyes moved to his niece. Her clothes were rumpled and her hair hadn't been brushed. Her eyes were puffy and there were dark circles under them. It looked like she hadn't slept in a bed last night. He frowned slightly, but then forced his features to remain neutral.

Walking over to the children, he addressed them, putting a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Thank you, Draco" he said and Draco gave him a brief nod. "Your mother just fire-called. She will be here shortly."

"Dad?" Draco asked, his stomach in knots.

Severus shook his head, squeezing his shoulder. "Lucius is out of town." Severus felt for Draco. He knew that his godson idolized his father, which in his opinion meant trouble more times than not. Draco would do anything to earn his father's favor or praise. Nevertheless, he was relieved that Lucius would not be coming. Narcissa was different- Severus knew that he needed her here with him. Turning his head from his godson, Severus quietly talked to his niece.

"We won't talk about the things you said about me last night. I understand you were upset. If you would like to talk about your mother, that's different." He told Sarah.

Tears threatened to overcome Sarah and she shook her head slightly, glancing at Draco who gave her a small, encouraging smile. She knew if she talked she would start crying and there was no way she would cry in front of Snape and Malfoy together!

"Have you had breakfast?" he asked the children.

"No Sir" Draco replied.

"Let's see what we can do about that." He quietly walked over to the fire and talked quietly inside it.

A house elf appeared and brought some food and set it on the table in the next room. Snape led the children to the small dining room and gestured for them to sit. The house elf consulted quietly with Snape.

"Well, eat." Snape said.

Sarah looked at the food on her plate and picked up her fork. She wasn't hungry at all. In fact, she thought if she tried to eat, she might get sick.

Snape studied the way his niece pushed around her food carefully taking note that she hadn't taken one bite. Draco on the other hand was eating vigorously.

"Here Sarah. Try a piece of toast." Snape handed her a piece of dry toast. Sarah managed to take a few bites.

When breakfast was finished, Snape addressed his niece quietly "The funeral is today."

Startled, Sarah looked up, eyes wide. "Th…that's soon." She stammered, dropping her eyes once again.

"Yes" Snape said simply. "Your mum had already made the arrangements before her death. I had the house elf bring you some clothes from your dorm room. You can shower and dress here."

Sarah kept her eyes fixed on her plate, gripping her fork tightly. "I don't want to go." A stubborn defiance flashed in her eyes, not missed by Severus, whose temper flared.

Snape took a breath before answering calmly but firmly, "It's not a choice. You _will_ attend. Draco, can you show Sarah where the second bedroom is and the bathroom?"

Sarah managed to glare at her uncle before following Draco into the other room.

--------------

Molly Weasley had received an urgent owl from her boys. The news of Grace's death distressed her greatly. While Grace Black was younger than her, they did meet at the train station this year. It was after the train had departed and Grace was watching Ginny run after the train. Molly noticed this and introduced herself. As Grace told her about Sarah, Mrs. Weasley could tell that she was a great mother. She knew that little Sarah Black would need someone. Molly did know the history between Grace Black and Severus Snape. Grace was famous because of her marriage to Sirius Black and her relationship with Lily and James Potter. Her estrangement from her brother- the famous death eater who turned, was widely know. Molly supposed that this was one of the reasons that Grace left the wizarding world. When she received the owl from her boys begging her to come, she could hardly say no. She knew Severus Snape, having several children who had attended Hogwarts. While maybe she should be giving Severus a chance to be a good uncle, she knew from her sons that like most Gryffindors, her relationship with the potions master was less than ideal. In fact, Fred wrote that he thinks the feeling of hatred is mutual. It was then when Molly made a decision.

"The poor dear needs me" Molly thought to herself as she knocked on the door to Snape's private corridors. She was prepared for a fight with Snape. How surprised she was when an exasperated Snape, who was talking in low tones to Narcissa Malfoy, offered no argument, but pointed to the bedroom door!

"See if you can get her ready, Molly. She is being obstinate." Severus said sharply.

"Sev" Narcissa admonished lightly. "She just lost her mum."

"Don't you think I know that, Narcissa?" Severus groaned, but Molly walked away before he could hear Narcissa's response.

She found Sarah Black sitting on a large bed in the center of the room. Her hair was wet and she was dressed in her robes, but she made no effort to move. Molly entered the room and sat on the bed beside her.

"Hello dearie. I'm Fred, George, and Ron's mum." Molly said. "My boys wrote me and said you might need some support."

Sarah looked at her, with a small fleeting smile. "They would have. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Weasley." She whispered.

"You too, my dear." Molly took a deep breath. "Sarah, the funeral is in an hour. Professor Snape needs you ready. As family you need to arrive early." Mrs. Weasley explained.

Sarah twisted on the bed and bit her lip. "I don't want to go. Please don't make me." Sarah whimpered.

Molly put a gentle arm around her. "I know right now it's the last thing you want to do. You probably just want everyone to leave you alone. I understand, but you need to go. It's important for you to say goodbye."

"I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want to go and have to sit there and try to be brave. What if I cry in front of Snape?" Sarah asked worriedly, clenching her hands.

"Then you cry in front of Snape. It's alright to cry. I'm sure Professor Snape feels like crying too. He loved his sister very much." Molly said in a gentle tone and pulled the little girl in her arms. "You have a lot of people you love you, Sarah. I know for so long it has just been you and your mum. But you do have friends. My boys wrote me an urgent owl because they thought you needed me. It was the only thing they knew to do. Harry and Hermione care for you too. We are all going to help you."

Sarah buried her head against Molly and cried. Having Molly hold her reminded her of all the times Grace would hold her. It reminded her of what it feels like to have a mum and how she would never be able to feel that again.

Molly let her sob for several minutes. When they were dying down, she asked Sarah if she felt she could try to get ready. Sarah nodded.

"Can you braid my hair?" Sarah whispered.

Molly smiled brightly, "Sure dear. Lets just dry your hair first" Molly flicked her wand and started to braid Sarah's hair in two braids and then led her quietly out of the room to meet Snape.

Needless to say, Snape was shocked to see his niece dressed and ready to go holding Molly Weasley's hand.

"She is all ready" Molly said with a smile. "Sarah, I will see you later."

"You're leaving?" Sarah asked, squeezing Molly's hand tightly.

Molly gently untangled her hand and bent down to talk to her. "It's alright, Sarah. I'm going to get your friends and bring them. We will all be there. But you are going to go over with Professor Snape."

Sarah nodded and Molly gave her a hug before leaving. Snape cleared his throat.

"Narcissa and Draco are already there. We are going to use a portkey. Do you know how?"

Sarah shook her head.

"It's really quite simple. All you have to do is grab hold of this book. I'll say the word that activates it and we will be transport to the place." Snape explained patiently, mustering a kind tone. Narcissa had lectured him on his frustration earlier. He knew that part of him was reacting to the stress of it all, but he understood deep down that she was right. If Severus was short with Sarah on this day of all days, they would never have any chance at a healthy relationship.

Snape held out the book to her and nodded to her. Sarah reached her hand out but just before she was about to touch it, she jerked her hand back.

"I can't" Sarah said with a shudder. "I just can't." Tears pooled in her eyes and she squeezed them shut tightly so they wouldn't fall.

"Come here, Black." Snape reached to grab hold of her arm and lead her to the couch, pushing her down to sit on it and he sat next to her. "Take a few minutes."

"Are we going to be late?" Sarah asked quietly, as she leaned over, her elbows on her knees.

"No, we have some time." Severus patted her back three times, before dropping his hand. "I know you are worried about this, and this may be the hardest thing that either of us will ever have to do. But we can both do this."

"Mrs. Weasley said that you loved my mum very much" Sarah said in a small voice, though there was a hesitation in her voice.

"I did" Severus assured her quickly. "Very much. She was my best friend. I know this is hard for you to understand since you never saw your mum and me together, but much of the same things you are feeling right now, I'm feeling too."

Sarah nodded. "You won't leave me alone with people I don't know?"

Severus shook his head. "Not unless you want to be left alone with people. I won't make you talk to people you don't know, but this is important Sarah. One day, you will understand just how important this is. Are you ready?"

Sarah nodded again and Severus gripped her arm, helping her to stand up and together they portkeyed. They arrived at the funeral home. Sarah was aware of her friends standing with Mrs. Weasley in a corner. Snape led her quietly up to the casket, a hand under her elbow. Sarah reached out to put a flower on top of the closed casket- pink rose, her mum's favorite. She turned her head to where her friends were standing, watching. Her eyes met Fred's and she gave him a begging look with her eyes. Before his mum could stop him for his lack of propriety, he took long strides to bridge the gap between them and reached to take her hand, protectively and Sarah leaned on him, dropping her head onto his shoulder.

"Mr. Weasley" Snape addressed him. "Thank you for coming."

"Hello Professor Snape" Fred said in the most respectful tone imaginable (well, at least for him).

"I need to go talk to Professor Dumbledore. Will you stay with Sarah?" Severus asked. "I don't want her left alone."

Fred nodded and led her to her seat in the front row and sat beside her. Remus Lupin was sitting there and he gave Gracie's little girl a small smile as Sarah and Fred sat next to him. It was almost painful to look at Sarah, who looked so much like Gracie did as a child. But he also knew that the child of Sirius and Gracie Black would always hold a special place in his heart and that the hell he was going through was nothing compared to Sarah's.

"Lupin" Sarah reached over to give the man she had only met once a hug. He looked so sad, probably the same way she looked and felt.

"Sarah" Remus gave her a small smile. "Your mum would have been proud of you right now. You are being so brave."

Sarah nodded. "Tell me a story about my mum." She asked. "while we are waiting…I can't just sit here and think" Fred leaned over to listen too.

Remus breathed in at Sarah's request. This would be hard. "What kind of story?" he asked gently.

"One about my mum and dad."

"Alright" Remus gave her a sad smile. "Gracie and Sirius had this huge fight in Potions one day. They were doing a potion together. Your mum was excellent at potions, just like your uncle, but when Sirius was around her, she got distracted. Sirius was quite a clown and he did everything he could to divert her attention from her potion to him. Well, Gracie finally had enough and shoved ingredients in Sirius's hand, sitting back to watch him try to do it. Of course, Sirius made a disaster of it and both of them got detention from Slughorn. They had to go into the Forbidden Forrest to find potions ingredients with Slughorn, but there was an emergency, so Slughorn had to run back and told them to take the path back. It was raining and Gracie slipped and broke her ankle. Sirius had a cold, but he stayed with her even though they had a huge argument, because Grace insisted he go back. Both your mum and dad could be very stubborn, but it was a good thing that day, because something happened that day in the forest. Your mum and dad both said that it was the day they fell in love with each other."

Sarah smiled at the sweet story. "My mum never told me that. I didn't know she ever got a detention either. I can't imagine that." She glanced at Fred, who gave her an impish grin.

Remus chuckled. "She got into a fair bit of trouble on her own, but once she started dating Sirius, she got pulled into all of our mischief. Lily too. And of course, they would never let any one of us live it down for getting them in trouble."

"That sort of makes me feel better about all the detentions I have been getting lately." Sarah said with satisfaction. "I have an excuse now" and Fred and Lupin laughed as Snape approached.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was just telling them about how Gracie could be a bit mischievous too."

"Only when she hung out with you and your friends." Severus said dryly, but bit back a smile at a memory of Grace, before becoming serious again. "It's time Sarah." Sarah's face fell, the color from her face draining and Remus looked a bit shaken. For a moment, Gracie's death got forgotten in the memories of her life, but now the sharp pain was brought forth once again with those three words.

Fred quietly slipped away to his seat beside his mum and Severus sat next to her. She glanced at his face. He looked determined and gave her a brief nod. She nodded back, biting her lip, before dropping her eyes to study her hands. She knew the hardest part was yet to come as the others took their seats.

The mourning party was a fair number of people. Sarah had never met a lot of them. In the front row, beside Severus were Narcissa and Draco. On the other side of her was a shattered Remus Lupin and next to him Dumbledore. In the second row were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Harry. The third row, Sarah overheard, was full of some of her dad's relatives. Andromeda Tonks, Ted Tonks, and Nymphadora Tonks all knew Grace before Sirius's arrest and wanted to pay their respects.

Dumbledore was asked to give Grace's eulogy. Both Severus and Grace had wanted that. He stood up front and looked at the crowd. Sarah's stomach twisted, but forced herself to look up at the headmaster.

"There is a grave" he said somberly "in Godric's Hollows whose epithet reads is 'The last enemy to be destroyed is death'. As many know, it marks the tombstone of Lily and James Potter." Sarah heard Harry, who was directly behind her gasp, and Dumbledore gave Harry a gentle look.

"But" he continued, "most don't know that it was Grace Black who insisted on that quote. She felt strongly that in the midst of the war with Voldemort, the real enemy was death and darkness, sickness and suffering. Death separated her from her friends; death separated her godson from his parents. The grim truth made her sick. And now death has made its ugly mark again. But in spite of that, Grace believed that we live with the hope that the last enemy to be destroyed is death."

Dumbledore paused and looked down at his notes. He continued,

"_Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; _

_my body also will live in hope, _

_because you will not abandon me to the grave, _

_nor will you let your Holy One see decay. _

_You have made known to me the paths of life; _

_you will fill me with joy in your presence."_

"We cling on to that hope and hope is a wonderful gift. It finds us in the darkest places. It tells us in the midst of suffering, there is an end. It tells us that the roaring pain now felt will eventually turn into a dull ache" Dumbledore glanced at Severus and then to Sarah.

Sarah knew what Dumbledore was saying except she was certain it would never go away. She felt that roaring pain in her chest. It was pounding deep within her making it hard to breathe. Tears were threatening to overcome her. She clenched her hands, vigorously trying to fight against it. She couldn't cry- not here, not now.

"Grace had a faith- that people making a stand could make a difference. It caused her to join the Order of the Phoenix. Grace was extremely talented and these talents were crucial to the success of the Order's missions. Grace Eileen Snape Black, or Gracie as her brother and husband liked to call her, had many gifts- hope and faith being two of them- for indeed they are gifts-but perhaps the greatest of these was love. Grace loved deeply and passionately as a friend, sister, wife and mother." Dumbledore again looked at Sarah.

Sarah felt the tears falling down her face and clenched her hands tighter to try to fight it. Her nails dug into her skin. She didn't realize that she was holding her breath until Snape leaned over and whispered soothingly, "It's ok, Black. Don't fight it. Just breathe through it." and reached over to unclench her hands.

Sarah instinctively moved closer to Sev. Severus handed her a tissue and kept a gentle hand on her arm rubbing circles in a methodical manner, trying to get her through Dumbledore's speech. She bit her lip, wiped her eyes, and breathed deeply, somehow composing herself once again. Even though she was calmer, Severus didn't remove his hand from her arm and continued rubbing it. He understood her reluctance to cry in front of him, but he knew that the more she fought it, the harder it would be in the end.

"She was dedicated to her friends. She looked deeper than what was on the surface and when it came to her friends, she would defend them to the end." Dumbledore paused to look at Remus Lupin. "It was one of those friends she leaned on when she found out that she was sick. And as what often happens in true friendship, they both were made stronger for it. She loved her family. While there were many rough patches, in the end, Grace was loyal to her family especially her brother. They understood each other in perhaps ways that no one else could. And Grace never let go of the hope that one day, their relationship could be restored and it was. For that, Grace told me privately, she was overwhelming thankful for. She had her brother back, if even it was only for a short time."

Severus's hand on Sarah's arm stilled causing Sarah to look up at him. His face was white and his lip trembled. He turned his face from Sarah's direction towards Narcissa, who moved to whisper something to him, reaching for his hand, squeezing it tightly. Severus looked at Narcissa gratefully, but then he became stoic once again as he began rubbing Sarah's arm once more.

Dumbledore continued, "Grace Black was also a dedicated wife and mother. She loved her husband and to the end believed in his innocence."

At the audience's collective gasp, he went on, "Some may call this foolish and maybe it was, but not to Gracie. Loving Sirius Black was as natural for her as breathing. It was conceivably a mark of her strong character to continue to see the good in him rather than to turn to hatred. After all, it was against hatred and prejudice that Grace was fighting against time and time again- whether it was with her friends, brother, or husband."

"Finally perhaps most of all, Grace was a good mother. She had to make some difficult decisions, but none doubted that she made those with only thinking of one person in mind- her daughter. She wanted her daughter to have the happy, healthy, stable life that she never had. One could see how much she doted on her. That was one of the hardest things about dying, Sarah, was to leave you behind. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that she had family and friends who would love you in her absence."

Severus squeezed Sarah's arm as she began to cry openly, unable to hold it back. Harry leaned forward from the second row to place a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"If there was one thing I'm sure Grace would want me to say is that love is powerful. It has the ability to overcome the darkness that this life inevitably brings. She would want to remind all of us to show kindness and compassion and to practice loving one another. Most of all, she would entreat me to say that of all the wonderful gifts and miracles in the world-and there are many- the greatest of these is love."

A/N: The quote in the middle of Dumbledore's eulogy is from the Bible.


	12. Changes

**Disclaimer: Don't own…never have, never will. It's unfortunate- I would really love to have an excuse not to grade the piles of papers I have to this evening!**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. If you are still reading and enjoying the story, drop me a review. I can't tell you how much they encourage me to keep writing and posting. **

**Ch 12- Changes**

Remus Lupin fought the grief that was slowly but surely overcoming him. What Dumbledore said about still having hope, he couldn't possibly feel that way. Instead, he felt like he had lost all hope. It left him when his last true friend died. Now, he had no one who could see him for who he is- human, instead of a werewolf. Where would he go from here? Back to Grace's apartment? The memories of Grace were too strong- they permeated from room to room her laugh, her smile, the sweet smell of her shampoo. 

The crowd of mourners was slowly dissipating. Remus was tired of the fake smile that was plastered on his face, weary of hiding his grief. After all, he had no right to grieve so- Grace was only a friend. Yet, he knew she was much more to him. 

Remus searched the crowd. Sarah was occupied talking with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and her friends. Snape was with Dumbledore; this was the perfect time to approach him. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to him, bag in hand. Seeing Lupin approach, Albus discreetly whispered something to Severus and walked away from the two men. 

"Lupin" Severus raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement to Gracie's friend. 

"Snape" Remus responded back. 

For a few moments, the two men just eyed each other awkwardly, not quite knowing what to say. 

Finally, Lupin cleared his throat. "I brought something for Sarah. Grace said that it was her favorite toy and before she….she…" Lupin begin to choke up slightly and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair before continuing, "died, she wanted to make sure that Sarah had this." He handed Severus the bag. 

"Thank you." Snape said, taking the bag from him. "I will make sure she gets it." 

Lupin turned to walk away, but Snape stopped him. 

"Lupin" he said quietly. 

Remus stilled and waited for Severus to continue. 

"I know you and my sister…well, I know you two were close these past few months. I know she relied heavily on you. I wanted to thank you for that." Severus said awkwardly. It was difficult for him to thank a man he once counted as an enemy, but in the same sense, he knew that it would be what Grace wanted. 

Remus nodded, tears forming, "Your sister was amazing." 

"Yes, she was." Severus took a deep breath as if trying to will himself to say the next part, "I want you to come….well, I know Gracie made your potion for you and that she made enough to last you for this upcoming full moon. And I know it's hard to get…I would like to come to me for it." 

Remus couldn't hide the shock on his face, "you don't have to do that" 

Severus nodded curtly, "I know. I want to. Come next month." He spun on his heels and walked quickly away leaving Remus staring after him, stunned. 

---------

"Alright, I think it is time for you children to go back to your dormitories." Severus said. 

After the service, George, Fred, Harry, Ron, and Hermione accompanied Sarah back to Snape's quarters. Mrs. Weasley went home, but made sure before she did, she invited Sarah for the first week in the summer. Sure, it was over 6 months away, but she wanted Sarah to have something to look forward to. Sarah returned the gesture with a hug. 

In the haze of the day, it would never be clear if Snape invited them or if they invited themselves, but later Snape had to admit that he was thankful for their presence. While the brats often annoyed him, they distracted his niece and in the emotions of the day, he was not ready for any drama. He was positive that would come later. He watched as the kids played wizarding chess and other games, Fred Weasley always close by Sarah's side. He was also shocked to find that Ron was so good at chess. From his performance in class, one would not think that he had any smarts in his head. 

With Severus's announcement, the children stood up to leave, including Sarah. But Severus put a restraining hand on her arm before saying, "I want you to stay here tonight." 

Sarah looked confused and more than a little upset. "Why?" Nobody else said a word, but the others looked awkwardly between uncle and niece. 

"It's been an exhausting day for all of us. I would feel better if I knew you were here if you needed anything." Severus's tone was not unkind, but it clearly meant to close the subject. Then, upon seeing her unconvinced face, he added, "It won't be every night and we will talk more about it tomorrow, but for tonight, I want you here." 

Tears once again threatened to overtake Sarah. She didn't want to be here with Snape, but then again, she didn't really want to be in her dorm room either. She looked helplessly at her friends who were avoiding eye contact. She finally nodded, not saying anything for fear she would cry. One by one her friends said goodbye, giving her a hug and pats on the back. 

When it was Fred's turn, he whispered in her ear, "Don't worry Sarah. If he does anything, we will give him hell. He won't know what's coming"

Sarah managed a weak smile, "Thanks."

After they left, Sarah never felt more alone. Her mum was dead and she was left here- with Professor Snape! She could feel Snape watching her and looked up to meet his eyes, but quickly dropped her gaze to the floor once again. All she wanted to do with sleep, but she doubted that she would be able to- not in Snape's quarters! 

After a few moments of silence, Severus cleared his throat. "Why don't you go ahead and brush your teeth and change into your pajamas? There are washcloths in the bathroom attached to your room for you to wash your face and a fresh pair of pajamas that the house elf delivered from your room. I'll come in a few minutes." 

Sarah sighed. Not having a fight left in her, she went into the room. She found a pair of the standard Gryffindor pajamas in the bathroom. Quickly she changed took off her robes and shirt and skirt and put on her pajamas. Standing over the sink, she turned on the facet, splashing water on her face and reaching for a washcloth to pat her face dry. She looked up at the mirror. Her face was red and splotchy and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was still in its braids. She took off the hair ties and undid her braids. There was a brush next to the sink. Picking it up, Sarah gripped the brush and studied it. When she was little, her mum would always undo her braids and brush through her tangles. Even when she was older, her mum still would do that, because it was time they spent together, laughing and talking. She would always felt loved and secure, close to her mum. 

Sarah closed her eyes for a second and then stomped her foot, groaning. She furiously brushed through her tangles before flinging the hairbrush against the closed bathroom door. Sheclutched the sides of the sink, sobbing- trying to catch her breath. Sitting down in the bathroom, she leaned against the door, curled up so her knees were against her chest and buried her head to cry out her pain. 

It took several minutes and the thought that Snape would possibly hear her that made her take a few shuddering breaths and rise to her shaky knees. Crossing the bathroom to the sink, she brushed her teeth and grabbed the clothes that she had left on the floor. She knew that Snape would probably not take kindly to her leaving her pile of clothes on the floor so she laid them neatly on a chair in her room. She had just climbed into bed, when Snape quietly knocked and entered the room. 

"Do you need anything?" Snape asked, standing a bit awkwardly by her bed. His robes had cast a shadow over the bed, in the formation of a bat. Normally Sarah would have giggled over this and offered some sarcastic comment, but she just didn't care. 

"No" she replied dejectedly. 

Snape raised his eyebrows and thought about correcting the perceived disrespect, but for one time in his life, he decided to let it slide. He never did that, but given the day, he didn't want the fight. 

"Alright then. No getting out of bed in the middle of the night and wandering around the castle. You never do that anyway, right?" He looked at her suspiciously. 

"Not yet." Sarah thought rebelliously "but that would be a great idea" and then forced herself to say another "no" 

Snape reached back to pull the covers over her and it was then Sarah noticed what was in his other hand. She reached for the item and held it close to her like a five year old child would. "Paddy" she whispered with a sigh. 

"Lupin brought it from the house. All things considered, he thought you might need it."

Severus watched as Sarah took the stuffed animal from his hand and hugged it tight. It was a stuffed animal- a black dog, worn and sagging like it had been one of Sarah's favorite toys. 

"When did you get it?" He asked curiously. 

"I don't really remember exactly. For a long time, mum never told me who gave it to me. But Paddy has always been there. It wasn't until this year that she told me that Paddy was a gift from Uncle James and Aunt Lily. Professor Snape?" she asked hesitantly. 

"Yes, Black?"

"Do you think if I wake up tomorrow I might have been dreaming all of this?" her voice was full of hope. "It could happen, right?

Snape briefly put her hand on her shoulder. He wasn't an affectionate man except when it came to his sister and perhaps his godson. And now Grace was gone. But this was Grace's little girl and regardless of problems that they had in the past and who her father is, she needed him. Grace had trusted him and he would honor that trust. He squeezed her shoulder before replying,

"I don't think so Sarah."

Sarah sighed and hugged her toy tighter. "I didn't think so either"

"Why don't you try to go to sleep?"

Sarah looked hesitant, glancing around the room and bit her lip, a gesture not missed by Snape's watchful eye. 

"Do you need something, Sarah?" Severus asked, managing a gentle tone that made Sarah surprised. 

Sarah face grew red and nodded, but remained silent. 

Severus sighed, biting back a more sarcastic remark. "Do not make me play guessing games Black. Just let me know." 

"Can you leave a light on?" Sarah murmured. "I don't like the dark." 

If Severus was surprised by this admission, he did an admirable job of hiding it. In truth, he believed Sarah was rather old to be afraid of the dark, but now was not the time to address that matter. 

"Alright" Severus flicked off the main light, but transformed a lamp into a small nightlight. 

"Is that alright?" Severus asked and Sarah nodded, "Thank you." 

"You're welcome. Now try to get some sleep." 

Sarah rolled over on her stomach, still clutching Paddy. Snape briefly patted her back. 

"Goodnight Black." he said. 

"Night sir" Sarah mumbled. 

----

In a dark cell, Sirius Black fingered a letter. He knew that handwriting. How could he forget it? Suddenly, an emotion stronger than he had felt in ten years of darkness, reached him again. He had been trying to hold on to it for so long. He was overcome with love for his family and hope surged deep within him. He tore it open eagerly and moved toward the crack of light seeping through the wall and into his dark cell to read his letter. 

_Dear Sirius_

_Ten years. _

_It's been ten years since I have written to you, but after your last letter I couldn't deny you any longer. I just don't know what to say to you- my heart is so full with alternating emotions- love and hatred, hope and despair, but perhaps most of all fear. I know Siri, you would never believe that to be true of me, "my brave Gracie" you would always say especially when the war was waging on full force. But I am frightened to tell you this. _

_If you are reading this letter, I am most likely dead. I'm sorry to put it bluntly, but there is no way for me to shield it from you. It hurts me more than you will probably ever realize that I will never see you again. Heaven help me, but I still love you and I still miss you with a passion that burns as strong as when I first married you. Do you remember that day? Do you remember the feeling of pure joy that just engulfed us? I was becoming your wife and our love was being celebrated instead of shunned. We could have never imagined what would be in store for us on that day. And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. _

_I want you to know that I believe you, Siri, that you weren't the secret keeper. I told this to Dumbledore. I don't know what he can do, but I am hoping that he is working on it. In the meantime, promise me that you will keep staying strong. You still have your hope that you wrote that you were clinging on to. Don't let the dementors take your mind. Our little Sarah still needs you now more than ever. Harry does too. He has no one who truly loves and cares for him the way you or Lily and James would have. You can't let the darkness win. I'm so sorry Sirius- for everything. _

_Always yours,_

_Gracie_

His beloved Grace was dead? Impossible! Sirius re-read the letter again, giving the truth time to sink in. 

And from his dark cell, Sirius Black let out a scream riddled with agony.

Meanwhile, his little girl miles away was clutching her stuffed dog crying herself to sleep. 

----------

After saying goodnight to his niece, Severus paced back and forth in his room his black robes billowing behind him. He didn't know how to handle the situation. He agreed with Dumbledore that the sooner Sarah returned to her normal routines the better. But things had changed and Severus needed her to know that. Even simple issues like her grades needed to be addressed along with her role in the twin's pranks. Although, the twins always covered for Sarah, Severus knew that his niece was never the innocent bystander as George and Fred would lead the world to believe. But the child's grief was so fresh. He knew and understood it for his grief still overwhelmed him. However, the longer he let the disrespect slide, the harder it would be for him to undo it later and establish his authority as her guardian. He _had_ to talk with her tomorrow.

------------

"I feel like there are some things we need to talk about before we join the others in the Great Hall for breakfast." Severus said directly. He was sitting in an arm chair across from his niece who was sitting on the couch. 

Sarah looked at him curiously and nodded her head. "I am wondering what is going to happen to me." 

Snape looked at her carefully before saying, "Your mother placed you under my guardianship." 

Snape had to give the child credit. She met his gaze bravely, her pale blue eyes meeting his, "I just don't understand! How could Mum never tell me? I went to Hogwarts and you are my professor." Sarah twisted her hands together and shifted on the couch. She paused a realization dawning on her and then looked at him accusingly, 

"Why did _you_ never tell me? I am your niece. But instead you give me detention every chance you get." Sarah scowled at him. 

Severus returned her look and said firmly, "Wipe that look of your face now. Not only am I still your professor, I am also your uncle and your guardian, whether you like it or not. Your mother entrusted me with your care."

Sarah jumped up yelling, "She had no right to do that." 

Severus stood up slowly before saying evenly, "You will not raise your voice to me no matter how upset you are. Apologize."

Sarah stared at him meeting his gaze defiantly. "No, she had no right to do that." 

"Black" he growled. Severus's patience was already spent. "Do you want to be grounded for the next week?"

Still Sarah didn't budge but he saw a hesitation creeping into her visage. 

Severus decided to capitalize on it, "I can do that, you know." 

Tears of frustration welled up in Sarah's eyes. "This isn't fair!" she muttered under her breath stamping her foot slightly. 

"It is fair. Any adult would demand the same respect. I am giving you three more seconds to apologize….one….two…"

"I'm sorry" Sarah said softly.

"For?"

"Raising my voice."

"Thank you. Now…" Severus led her by the arm back to the couch and gestured for her to sit. He sat down next to her before answering Sarah's question in a somewhat gentler tone, 

"She had every right. She was your mother. You are eleven years old. Sometimes since it was just you and your mother for so long, you can forget that fact. You are not the adult here Black. As for me, do you feel that any of your detentions were undeserved?"

With that question, Severus stared her down. Sarah squirmed, wrung her hands, before sulkily replying, "no sir"

"Good." Severus nodded. "Now, we are going to have some ground rules. Are you listening?"

"Yes"

"Yes..." Severus prompted, waiting. 

Sarah pouted. "Sir"

"Ok, number one. Respect. I daresay sometimes you forget who you are talking to when addressing many of the adults in your life. You _will_ show the proper respect to all adults that you come across with no matter how much you may dislike them or how incompetent you feel they might be. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir" 

"Good. Moving on…you are a very capable young lady. I expect that you are paying careful attention to your studies. That includes doing the reading and…"

"The reading?" Sarah groaned. "_Nobody_ ever does the reading!" She threw up her hands in disgust.

"Do not interrupt me when I am speaking. Consider that your last warning." Snape growled before continuing calmly, "Yes, the reading Black. Why do you suppose Professors assign reading? Just for torture?"

Sarah couldn't believe this. "But Professor…" she stammered. "Nobody does the reading! Except Hermione and you know her."

"Yes, Miss Granger always comes prepared for class. Don't sulk Black, first years don't get assigned that much reading. Wait until next year. As for your grades, you and I will review them at the end of every week. Every Thursday you will join me during half of your free time for private lessons. You need to be stretched a little more that you are being at the time. Your mother insisted upon it. We will also be reviewing your grades during that time and discuss your week." 

Sarah looked at him skeptically, "Do I have to tell you everything?"

"No Black. But I do want you to be honest when answering questions. Any questions so far?"

Sarah hesitated before replying, "What if I don't do so well on an essay or a test?"

"A fair question. In that case, we would review it together. If it was a result of you not understanding the information, then we would go over it together. If it was just you being lazy or not preparing adequately, then there would be some consequences"

"But sir nobody else has their parents looking at all their grades and then punishing them if they are not good!" Sarah exclaimed. 

"That you know of Black. There are plenty of parents who request a weekly report and there are plenty of students who end up with losing privileges during break because of it. I have even have parents request me give their student detention because of poor grades." 

"Oh…" Sarah's face fell.

A smile twitched on Severus's lips. She looked so forlorn. "Just do what you are supposed to Sarah and you should be fine." 

"Is that it?" Sarah asked hopefully. 

"No there is one more matter to discuss, young lady." Severus gave her his firmest, most intimidating Professor look. "Your pranks with the Weasley twins. They need to cease immediately." His voice was low and firm. 

Sarah gave him her best innocent child look. "What pranks?" 

"It doesn't work with me Black. I know you are their lookout. I never believed that you were the innocent bystander though Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore would rather eat mud than admit that sweet, angelic Sarah Black would ever participate in such activities though lately they have become more suspicious. You will have detention and lots of it if you persist in breaking the rules. Have I made myself clear?" 

"Yes sir." Sarah sighed, scooting down further on the couch. She had come to realize that she would not be able to get much past Professor Snape and well that was just no fun. A feeling of anger bubbled up within her at her mother, but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside. 

"Good, any questions?"

Sarah tugged at her pony tail, twisting it around, before saying nervously, "I know you want me to call your Professor in class and around people, but Draco…" she took a deep breath "Draco doesn't call you that when it's just you and him." 

Severus looked at her searchingly. "I know Sarah that you think that I hate you. There are times when I do not like your attitude and I have to be firm with you. That doesn't mean I hate you. Your mother made a lot of decisions for us. She did it all because she wanted to protect you. Some of those decisions are making this hard right now. It may be strange or difficult at first, but I think things will work out, Sarah. But to answer your question, I want you to call me Uncle Severus or Uncle Sev when you and I are alone." 

Sarah's eyes had clouded at the mention of Grace but quickly cleared at Sev's last statement. "Alright, Professor… Uncle Sev. Wow, that's just crazy." 

Severus smiled, "Yes, it is." He patted her shoulder, "Let's go eat breakfast, Black."

-----------

"So?" Hermione, Ron, and Harry were sitting with her at the Gryffindor table. They were eager to know what happened after they left. Harry handed Sarah a piece of toast and Hermione passed her the butter and jam- strawberry, Sarah's favorite. 

"Well, I went to bed and Snape tucked me in. It was strange. Then, this morning, Snape went over rules and told me when we were alone to call him Uncle Sev." 

At this, Sarah looked at Ron who was choking on his pumpkin juice. Mione was patting him on the back absently while looking at Sarah with a shocked look on her face. Harry grimaced at first but then smiled encouragingly. 

"Well, that's not too bad." he said, "Right guys?"

"Oh yes, not bad at all" Hermione quickly agreed. 

Ron was looking at them like they were daft and Hermione promptly elbowed him in the stomach. 

"Oooohhh, not bad at all, Sarah." Ron managed to get out despite the pain in his stomach, "what kind of rules?"

Sarah went over the gist of the rules, but then\ changed the subject and asked them what had been going on in the last couple of days. "I feel like it has been so long even though I know it has only been two days."

Hermione looked at both Ron and Harry and Harry nodded slightly. 

"Well, Hagrid accidentally let it slip that the professors are hiding something big at Hogwarts this year..." She began.

"And it has something to do with Nicolas Flamel" Ron said eagerly, "He let that slip too." 

The three of them looked at Sarah expectedly, but she only seemed confused. 

"Who is Nicolas Flamel?" she asked. "And what could they been hiding?"

"We were hoping you could tell us." Harry said. 

Sarah slowly shook her head, "I've never heard of him. Mum didn't cover him in her brief introduction to History of Magic." 

The trio looked somewhat disappointed. Then Ron and Harry both nudged Hermione. "You ask her." Ron whispered. 

"Me? Why me?" Hermione whispered back. "You ask."

"Me?" Ron shook his head. "You're the girl"

"What does that have anything to do with it, Ronald?" Hermione responded indignantly. 

"Well…you're a girl and Sarah's a girl…so you should ask" Ron argued. 

Sarah rolled her eyes at the two of them bickering, "Just ask." She said.

"Well, remember after Halloween, Snape was limping? We think he went up to the third floor to steal whatever is up there and he got hurt by Fluffy." Hermione explained.

"Who is Fluffy?" Sarah asked curiously. 

"The three headed dog that's guarding whatever is up there." Harry explained. 

"So, you think that my uncle is trying to steal whatever they are hiding up there. I don't believe it." Sarah shook her head. 

"Just because Snape is your uncle doesn't mean that he is good." Hermione said gently. 

"My mother trusted him! I admit he is a git at times, but evil? I don't think so." 

"Since when did you become Snape's biggest fan?" Ron asked annoyingly. 

"I'm not! I'm just saying that I don't think it's him." Sarah argued. 

Harry quickly jumped in to order to quell any further disagreements, "Let's work on finding out who Nicolas Flamel is. What we really need to do is find a way to get into the restricted section of the library."

Sarah smiled at him. "And in the meantime, let's ask Professor Binns in History of Magic. If Flamel is a famous wizard, Binns would know." 

"Brillant idea Sarah." Hermione smiled at her. "Binns would know for sure." 

---------------

AN2: I got the idea of Sarah having a stuffed animal dog named Paddy from a couple of fanfiction stories that I read that had Harry or Teddy Lupin having a stuffed animal that reminded them of their fathers. I thought that James and Lily would definitely make sure that Sarah had a stuffed animal named after Padfoot. It is going to possibly play in later down the line. 


	13. Christmas Woes

**Disclaimer: Don't own. Only write for enjoyment…make no money. Belongs to Rowling. **

**A/N: Please, Please, Please review if you are reading and still enjoying. And thanks to those who do. You're awesome! **

**Chapter 13- Christmas Woes**

The four students were shocked and overly annoyed when Professor Binns refused to answer Sarah's question regarding Nicholas Flamel and abruptly changed the subject. To make matters worse, it was an even droller lesson than usual (if that was at all possible) and Sarah and Hermione had to take turns kicking the boys, who were dozing off, in the shin.

With the holidays coming up in a month, the professors had piled more work on them than normal. The four of them spent a lot of time in the library or in the Gryffindor common room studying. Fred and George would occasionally join them, but they would never really study just distract the quad by playing some random tricks on them. They were aiming to get Sarah to laugh sometimes. While she never talked about her mother, she didn't laugh as much as she used to which bothered the twins. Fred especially made sure that Sarah was around when one of their major tricks was underway and would take great delight in seeing Sarah chuckle in passing.

Sarah began having her weekly session with Snape. The first one didn't go as smoothly as either of them wanted it to, partly because Snape seemed annoyed with her the minute she walked in the door. In class, he was simply indifferent, which she understood even though it hurt her some, but she would rather have that than irritated with her!

After gesturing impatiently for her to sit, he barely gave her time to do so before he jumped right into her, "Drop the Nicolas Flamel hunt Sarah."

Sarah placed her books on the couch next to her, shocked. "How did you know?" she stammered.

"It doesn't matter." Snape shook his head emphatically. "Drop it Black." Snape practically was growling at her, dark eyes narrowed, arms crossed.

Sarah took a look at his stern demeanor and became frustrated. She should have known that no matter what, he wouldn't be different than before. Still, she should still try to explain if he would even listen (which Sarah believed there was little chance of).

"But…Professor…" Sarah squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze. "I mean, Uncle…" Snape glared at her some more. "I mean, Professor…agh." Sarah gave up, sinking down on the couch, her face growing red. "I don't know what you want from me!" Sarah groaned with a pout, stamping her foot.

"I want you and your friends to do what every other student does and mind your own business." Snape said harshly.

Sarah jumped up. "Fine" She responded, throwing her papers across the room at Snape and stomped towards the door.

Snape acted quickly to cast a locking charm on the door. Sarah had her hand on the doorknob and realizing what he just did, she turned around, shaking, unable to control her anger. Snape didn't realize how out of hand the situation had become until he studied his niece's face and he felt a twinge of guilt for handling it so poorly.

"Sit down Sarah" He told the young girl calmly.

Sarah looked at him with tears in her eyes, contemplating his command. She was angry, but also hurt. She hated Snape so much at times, but then at other times, she was seeing another side of him like when he bandaged her knee or tucked her into bed.

Sighing and realizing she had no choice (with the door being locked and everything), Sarah managed to sit down at the edge of the couch and tried hard to prevent the tears from spilling over.

Snape leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees.

"I'm sorry" he sputtered. It was hard for him to apologize to anyone but after a deep breath he continued,

"I should have said that differently. But you owe me an apology too for your attitude." He added firmly.

Sarah couldn't believe that Snape actually apologized to her. Two tears escaped and she whispered, "I'm sorry for throwing down the papers sir."

"Alright, it's past us then. I'm serious though Sarah about Nicholas Flamel. You need to let it go. It's too dangerous for you to be putting your nose where it doesn't belong. Do you understand?"

Sarah wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yes, sir." Sarah responded with a sigh.

"Good. Let's take a look at your grades, shall we?" Snape conjured over the pieces of paper Sarah threw and shuffled through them.

He should have known it was far too easy.

Snape's following sessions with Sarah were far less dramatic. He actually found his niece to be charming for a little brat. Perhaps, that was because she was a miniature Grace. Her father's personality only popped up periodically, but overall she had the temperament and mannerisms of her mother. While she questioned his authority at first, she seemed to resign herself to her new life. Children were resilient, Severus supposed, though it actually concerned him that she lost some of her spunk and she hardly ever smiled anymore, even with her friends.

Christmas holidays were approaching rapidly and Severus decided that it was time to breech the topic of Grace once again. Sarah came into his quarters, papers in hand. She looked tired, which wasn't to be unexpected as the work usually piled up at this point in the year. His eyes narrowed at her pale face though, and she sniffled as handed him her papers. He had noticed that she was particularly lethargic in potions today, but he didn't think much of it, until now.

"You feeling ok, Black?" Severus asked casually, as he sifted through her essays.

"Just a cold" Sarah murmured, shivering. "I'm fine." She coughed a bit.

"Uh huh" Severus put the papers aside and sat down next to her. "You don't look fine. Have you seen Madame Pomfrey?"

"NO!" Sarah shook her head, scooting away from him. "I'm not sick" She responded petulantly.

Snape fought the urge to roll his eyes. Sighing, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him. Summoning a thermometer, he shook it before saying, "Open your mouth, Black. And yes, this is the only time, I will probably tell you to do that." Severus said at Sarah's smirk.

"Fine, but I'm not sick" Sarah said, still cross.

"And then your temperature will be normal" Severus said, conjuring his patience. Grace was always far more bratty the usual when she was sick. He remembered that quite well from childhood. Of course, he had to take care of her, because Merlin forbid his parents actually acted like ones.

Severus removed the thermometer when it beeped. "38.5" he sighed. "You're sick, Sarah."

"But I'm _not_ sick" Sarah whined, when truth was she felt awful.

"To bed, Black." Severus ignored her as he helped her rise. At Sarah's panic, he clarified, "Not the hospital ward, though you should really go there. You can stay here. I'll give you some potions to help." Severus led her gently by the arm to her room and pulled out a pair of pajamas. He pushed Sarah into the bathroom, commanding her to change as he went to his room to get some potions for her. Severus came back to find the child practically asleep over the covers. He lifted her, so he could place her underneath them and then sat her up to take the potions.

"Sarah, you need to take these." Severus said. Sarah groaned but took the potion from him, swallowing it before sliding down to sink her heavy head into her pillow. It did feel good and the covers were so warm. She shivered some more and Snape reached over to add another blanket.

"I think I'm sick Uncle Sev." Sarah pouted.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you have finally come to your senses. Now, don't leave this bed except to go to the bathroom."

Sarah nodded into her pillow. "Uh huh" she responded sleepily.

Leaving the door cracked, he left her to sleep.

When he returned to check on her two hours later, he found her awake, but still miserable and agitated. She was sniffling and trying to hide herself beneath her covers

"What's wrong, Black?" Severus asked, pulling the covers slightly back to look at her more closely. His hand then moved to her flushed cheeks which were stained with tears. Severus noted that she still felt warm and the potions hadn't been enough to break her fever.

"Mum, she had no right to leave me without telling me." Tears rolled down Sarah's cheeks and Severus reached to smooth the covers down over her.

"Sarah, your mother thought she was doing what was right." Severus pulled up a chair beside her bed.

"Do you think it was right?" Sarah asked, shaking. Severus couldn't tell whether she was shaking from the fever or the tears.

"No" Severus responded slowly, letting out a breath. "I don't. You had the right to say goodbye to your mum."

Sarah closed her eyes. "I'm still really tired. And really hot. But kind of cold too. I can't decide, Uncle Sev. Maybe it is my face is hot and the rest of me is cold?"

Severus summoned a wet washcloth to place on her forehead.

"If you are tired Black, go back to sleep." Severus replied, logically. Without argument, Sarah fell back into a restless sleep. Snape made no move to get up, but watched his niece sleep.

"How do I help her?" Snape put his elbows on his knees, folding his hands, thinking. "Your mum was wrong, Sarah." He whispered. "But she loved you. That was her problem."

After spending the next day in bed, Sarah was feeling much better. Severus decided to allow her to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. Harry, Ron, and the twins would be staying and he thought it would be good for her to be around her friends.

Christmas morning Sarah ran down the steps to the Gryffindor common room to find Ron and Harry eagerly opening presents. Harry was lifting up a slivery cloak when they saw her.

"Happy Christmas Sarah" Harry and Ron said together.

"Happy Christmas Harry. Happy Christmas Ron!" She smiled and hugged both of them and then looked at what was in Harry's hand

"What is that?" She asked.

"There was a note saying it was my Dad's and I should use it well." Harry said.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Put it on mate." Ron encouraged, taking a bite of his candy.

And when Harry did, the strangest thing happened. He became invisible!

"Wow! It's an invisibility cloak. Those are really rare." Ron said excitedly.

Sarah grinned, an idea coming to her. "You know what we can use it for Harry!" Sarah jumped up and down, gesturing widely at him. "We can go to the restricted section of the library!"

The boys laughed at her eagerness. "Open your presents Sarah." Ron said.

"Presents! I got presents!" Sarah said enthusiastically. She swung around, her braids smacking Ron on the face.

"And she hasn't even had candy yet" Ron murmured, rubbing his face.

Sarah got candy from Ron, Harry, and Hermione and a book on potions from Snape (Ron and Harry groaned for her but Sarah laughed at it) and a book on defense from Remus Lupin. Mrs. Weasley sent her a jumper with a letter S on it and some hair ribbons. Finally, there was a little package. Sarah recognized the handwriting, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she fought to catch her breath. It was her mum's.

At Sarah's look, Ron asked quickly, "What is it, Sarah?"

Sarah's face scrunched up as she tried to keep herself from crying and shook her head. After a few moments to compose herself, she managed to say, "It is from my Mum"

Unable to hold back the tears she opened the note as Ron and Harry watched awkwardly. Harry put his arm around her as she read the note, in a shaky voice.

_Dear Sarah_

_I miss you so much. You are probably very angry with me right now and you have every right to be. I didn't want to leave you but I had no choice. I want you to remember the good times. You are my little girl and I will always love you. I know you will grow into a beautiful young woman. I'm sorry I won't be able to see it. Be nice to your Uncle Sev. He needs kindness too. _

_Love,_

_Mum_

Sarah opened the package to find the photo album with all her mum's pictures. She had added some pictures of Sarah as a baby. She loved this old album and her mum knew that. Her mum always knew everything. Harry and Ron looked on as she flipped through the pictures, biting her lip. She stopped briefly at a picture of four boys.

Harry looked at her in amazement, "Wait. That's my dad!"

Sarah nodded quietly. "Have you never seen pictures of your parents, Harry" She asked.

Harry shook his head as tears started to fog his glasses, looking at his dad. "Do you have one of my mum?" he asked.

Sarah flipped to one of her favorite pictures. "I love this one."

Harry smiled, "That's me! And that's mum and dad" he said excitedly, pointing at the picture.

"Yep! And this is me!" Sarah pointed to the picture of herself being held by her dad.

"Is that your dad?" Ron asked.

"Yeah and there is Mum. Look how happy everyone looks." Sarah said as tears streamed down her face. She stood up to walk over to the couch and sat back down, slumping down.

"It's just not fair! Why didn't she tell me? I should have been able to say goodbye!" She cried, fists clenched, staring down at the picture of her mum.

The boys looked at her, not knowing what to do.

At that moment, the Weasley twins ran into the common room singing and dancing wearing their Weasley jumpers. They stopped at the somber expression on their friends' faces. They looked from Sarah to Ron and Harry back to Sarah holding an album in her hands looking intently at a picture.

Finally, Fred came beside Sarah and asked quietly, "Are these pictures of your Mum?" Sarah nodded and he put an arm around her as George moved to the other side of her. For a brief moment, Sarah rested her head on Fred's shoulder.

Then, quickly Sarah wiped the tears away. "It's Christmas. We should be having fun."

The twins exchanged a look. If Sarah needed distraction, then they would give it to her. "Let's go have a snowball fight!" Fred said, gleefully. "You and me against George, Harry, and Ron. You know we would make a good team!"

Sarah smiled at his enthusiasm, "You guys go ahead. I don't feel so well. I'm going to sleep." She trembled slightly.

"Sarah…" Ron said quietly, "are you ok?"

"I'm great" Sarah said as she stood up abruptly. "I just want to be alone, ok? I feel horrible for being so sad on Christmas."

"Sarah" Harry said softly. "I still miss my mum and dad."

"I know you do Harry" Sarah said gently as she hugged her friend. "I'm sorry."

Harry smiled. "Come outside with us."

"I really don't feel good. I'm going upstairs. Don't worry. Have fun boys." She said as she quickly left tears rolling down her face.

She crawled into her bed, hugged Paddy and sobbed in her pillow. She remained this way for several minutes. She was so intent on her memories of her mum and the sorrow she felt, she didn't hear when someone knocked on the door and came in quietly. The person sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her back, somewhat awkwardly.

"Fred Weasley said you aren't feeling well." Sarah knew that voice and groaned inwardly. She didn't want Snape to see her so upset.

"What hurts?" Severus asked gently.

"Everything" Sarah moaned into her pillow.

"Why don't you turn over and let me look at you?" Severus rolled the child over and felt her head.

Severus looked at her carefully, looking for signs of a relapse. The child had clearly been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and she was hiccupping. No, he took that back. The child had been sobbing. But sometimes children cried when they didn't feel well. Maybe his niece was one of those children. She cried a little bit when she was sick before. Sarah looked into his concerned eyes. "You don't feel feverish but sometimes the virus going around doesn't start with a fever."

Sarah sighed. "Uncle Sev, I just want everyone to leave me alone."

Severus chided himself. He should have realized what this was about. Putting Grace's present in Sarah's stack of presents had felt natural to him, but he should have known that would have opened up the wounds raw from spending the first holidays without her mum.

He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, squeezing. "Sarah, it's ok to miss your mother. I miss her very much as well."

"I just want to see her again. I want things to go back to the way they were. I just want my mum Uncle Sev." Without thinking, she sat up and buried her head in his chest and started sobbing.

Startled, Severus held the shaking child, somewhat uncomfortably, as he rubbed her back. As did so, he realized that both of them needed this. For so long, he didn't know how to help the child grieve. Not feeling comfortable with his own grief, he threw the issue under the carpet, hoping that time would take its course. But now he knew she just needed him to listen and to hold her. While holding a child wasn't natural to Severus, he knew this was the best thing for Sarah, and perhaps for him as well.

After holding Sarah for several minutes and letting her cry out her frustration and sorrow, he pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her.

Then, what he said next surprised Sarah. He gently asked her if he could see Grace's present.

Sarah nodded and reached over to show him the album.

"Mum made this when I was little before everything happened. I know she would still take it out and look at it. I used to sneak in her bedroom and pull out the pictures to look at them." Sarah explained.

Severus took a deep breath and steeled himself. While the last thing he wanted to do was look at pictures of Sirius Black and his baby sister, he thought maybe this would help.

"Can you show them to me?" He asked.

Sarah nodded and for the next hour, Sarah and Severus went over each picture. Though it was difficult for him to see pictures of Grace and Black so happy he knew deep down that Sarah needed him to see these pictures with her. It was a part of the grieving process, one that Severus had to help her through.

Sometimes as Gracie used to say, love requires sacrifices. And each turn of the page proved that Severus Snape had begun to love this little girl who needed him.


	14. The infamous temper of Sarah Black

A/N: Sorry for the long time since my last update. Work has gotten really crazy and stressful in the final push until our state tests and the end of the school year. But here is another chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. I so appreciate feedback!

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own. Rowling does.

**Chapter 14**: **The infamous temper of Sarah Black**

"Tonight. We should try it tonight." Harry said. "I need someone to come with me." He was sitting on the couch next to Sarah and Ron was sitting in the chair across from them. He looked from Sarah to Ron, back to Sarah.

Ron gestured lazily to Sarah. "You go. You are better with looking up things in the library. I wouldn't even know what book to look in." He mumbled, tossing a hand through his red hair.

Sarah nodded. "Alright what time do you think Harry?"

"Midnight" Harry answered. "We will go under my invisibility cloak."

Sarah clapped her hands excitedly with a smile, bouncing on the couch. "Maybe _tonight_ we will solve the mystery! And then what would Mione say! We will actually do something better than her for once!" She said, but then stopped abruptly and twisted around, impulsively bringing up her feet and sitting on them, a wild look crossing her features.

"Harry, we can't get caught though." Sarah grabbed his arm as she shook her head frantically. "Snape would kill me. I mean the killing me that involved a slow, gruesome death. I promised him I would stop looking for Nicolas Flamel. If he finds out, I could become one of his potions ingredients and I _really_ like _all_ my body parts." Her voice slowed into a whine as her panic increased.

"Nah, at worst he would just smack you a couple times." Ron said, mischievously. "He wouldn't dare use you as a potions ingredient- Dumbledore wouldn't let him. _Although_ come to think of it, I wouldn't put it past the greasy git could chop off your finger when you were asleep. My brother Charlie tells me that dragons like to eat human fingers. Snape could send your finger to feed the dragons. Might make him some money too."

"Oh, shut it Ron" Sarah rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a giggle at his antics.

"You know, Sarah, you don't have to join us. Ron and I could go looking." Harry offered.

Sarah shook her head adamantly, her black braids swaying. "No, I just said we shouldn't get _caught_. There is a difference. I'm going. I'm not going to let Snape stop me. There is no way I am missing it"

The boys exchanged a look and laughed.

"I wonder if Snape knows what his niece is like when his back is turned." Ron muttered to Harry.

"I can just picture it now. He would give his scowl that only Snape can do, 'Sarah Black, I thought I told you NOT to go looking after Nicolas Flamel." Harry did his best Snape impression, contorting his features into a hefty scowl.

Sarah frowned and threw a couch pillow at each of them smacking them on the heads, giving them _her_ best Snape glare. "_That's not funny boys_!"

The boys rubbed their heads, laughing, "Yep, that's what it looks like. Apparently it runs in the family. Snape would be so proud." Ron remarked at Sarah's glare.

Sarah's mouth twitched and she was unable to keep a straight face. "Somehow I don't think that would be something my uncle would appreciate. He doesn't have _my_ great sense of humor."

"You could say that again" Harry agreed and the three fell into fits of laughter.

--

Harry and Sarah's search led nowhere. It ended abruptly when Harry opened up a book that released out a piercing scream and they had to run from Filch who had come to investigate. He was seconds later joined by Snape, much to Sarah's distress. Even though she knew they were safe under the cloak, she was pleased when Harry and she made it safely back to the common room.

"That was close" Harry whispered, breathlessly.

"Yeah, too close. I really don't know what Snape would have done if we had been caught." Sarah plopped down on the couch, shuddering at the thought of getting caught out of bed and in the restricted section of the library by her sure to be very displeased uncle. That was one conversation she was certain she _never_ wanted to have!

--

"You mean you didn't find _one_ piece of information on Nicolas Flamel? What _were_ you doing all holiday?"

Hermione was annoyed with her three friends, whom seemingly couldn't follow the simplest of directions. Sarah and she were watching as Harry and Ron played wizarding chess.

"Oh, Harry- move that one" Sarah whispered in his ear, gesturing to a bishop.

"Hey! No help!" Ron exclaimed, swatting Sarah's hand away from the piece she was pointing to.

"You could still beat Harry even if we teamed, Ron. Let me help." Sarah insisted.

Ron's face grew red with embarrassment at his friend's praise. "Thanks Sarah"

"Yeah, thanks Sarah" Harry said with a mutter.

Sarah smiled and then turned to face her exasperated friend, "We tried, Mione, honestly we did."

Mione let out a long sigh. "There has to be some information somewhere. Let me think."

But Hermione did not get time to think for at that moment, Neville shuffled in, falling over awkwardly on the floor. At the sight, Sarah and Hermione rushed over, kneeling beside him. "What happened?" Sarah placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Malfoy. Leg Locker Curse. He says I shouldn't be in Gryffindor."

Sarah moaned, gripping her head, between her hands. "I'm going to kill him! That little prat!" Before they could stop her, Sarah jumped up and marched out of the portrait hole in search of Malfoy.

--

Sarah found the Slytherin along with Crabbe and Goyle walking down a hallway on the second floor.

"Great, he is surrounded by his thugs" Sarah thought, with a small shake of her head.

"MALFOY!" Sarah yelled, approaching him. "How dare you?"

Draco looked at Sarah and smirked. Her face was red and she was clearly angry. Her hair was braided and the two ribbons on the ends of her braids shook in her fury.

"What is your problem Black?" he sneered.

"_You_, Draco Malfoy, are _such_ a prat. Why can't you pick on someone in your own house?"

Draco laughed, "Awww. Does little Sarah Black have a crush on poor Longbottom?"

Sarah knew that Malfoy was mocking her and it only added to her rage. She pushed him hard. "NO. I don't. I have a problem with you being cruel Malfoy".

Malfoy was surprised by her strength and he struggled momentarily to keep his balance. Crabbe and Goyle moved to defend Draco, but Draco pushed them aside. "I can handle Black. GO" he said. Crabbe and Goyle protested, but at Draco's insistence, they walked away.

"Don't push me Black." Draco got in her face.

"Oh, why not?" Sarah pushed him again. "Do you not like it? Oh, wait. You just like hexing innocent people."

"It was a joke Black." He grabbed her arms, smirking. "And pretty funny too."

Sarah wiggled out of his grip, and stamped her feet, "Don't touch me. It wasn't funny". She backed up and impulsively pulled out her wand, flinging it in Draco's direction. "Locomotor Mortis"

Before Draco had time to defend himself, his legs locked together as if held together by invisible super glue. Unable to balance himself, he fell to the ground.

Draco was unsure how Black all the sudden got the upper hand. "Undo it Black"

Sarah stamped her foot again "Make me! Now you know how it feels. How do you like it Malfoy? Maybe I will leave you to hobble into your common room."

"Black" Draco groaned. "Come on!" But Sarah adamantly refused. "NO!" she yelled.

It was that scene that Snape happened upon. His godson on the floor in a leg locker curse and his niece red faced stamping her foot in anger and shouting at Malfoy. One look at Sarah and he wasn't surprised that it was his niece that was the one left standing.

"BLACK! MALFOY! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" With a flick of his wand, he undid the curse and helped his godson up off the ground.

"She started it" Draco whined. "I was just walking down the hall minding my own business and then she just came at me like some crazy person."

"Why you little" Sarah lunged at him only to meet Snape's solid arms. He squeezed her and whispered firmly into her ear, "STOP IT NOW!"

When he felt her calm down some, he released her, but kept a strong hand on her arm.

"Is that true Black?" he asked sternly.

Sarah refused to meet either Draco or Snape's eyes. She shuffled her feet aware that Snape was still holding on to her arm. Her anger had suddenly deflated and she was left with a feeling of dread.

"Technically" Sarah whispered "he started it when he hexed Longbottom."

Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You mean all of this was because Malfoy hexed Longbottom?"

Sarah nodded, "Nobody should have to be told that they don't belong in their own house and then to have to hobble back to the dorm because someone decided to have fun with them"

"I see" Snape looked between Draco and Sarah, before turning to address his godson.

"Draco, you will serve detention with me tonight- 7 pm sharp. Go back to your common room now. If I see you wandering in the halls, you'll be sorry."

"Uncle Sev that is not fair." Draco complained.

"One more word out of you and I'm extending your detention. We will discuss your behavior in great detail then. Do you understand?"

With a hand still on Sarah's arm, he took his other hand to squeeze Draco's shoulder.

"Yes sir" Draco grumbled.

He turned his niece to face him. "As for you young lady, we must have a little discussion about your temper. Come." He began walking and because he had his hand still on her arm, she was forced to move too unless she wanted to look like she was being dragged along. That would be too embarrassing.

Draco smirked at the sight- he was all too familiar with the look Snape was giving Sarah and it only meant trouble for her.

--

Severus didn't speak a word to Sarah as they made their way to his quarters. And Sarah wasn't foolish enough to break the silence. Her stomach fluttered, getting a sinking feeling deep in the pit of it. She knew that there was little chance she would _not_ be in trouble. While she had been in trouble with Snape before, there was only so much he could do because he was not the Head of her House. But now, he had all the power over her and that thought made her want to shake free from his grasp and run as fast as she could away from him. But she knew that would just anger him, so she stayed put.

Severus could tell that the thoughts in Sarah's head were racing. If there is one thing he wanted to teach her is how not to be so transparent. There had to be more Slytherin in her than that, even if that sorting hat put her in Gryffindor. "Sit down Sarah"

Seeing no choice, Sarah made her way over to her usual spot on the couch and sat down on the edge, while Severus sat comfortably in his arm chair, gazing steadily at her.

And so they remained for a few minutes (completely unnerving Sarah), before Severus laced his hands together and looked at her with an unreadable expression.

"Tell me what happened." There was no judgment in his voice, no anger, no disappointment; in fact, his voice revealed no emotion and yet this made Sarah even more uneasy.

She felt that the best course of action was to apologize right off and hope Severus wouldn't favor Draco over her so she began nervously, "Uncle Sev, I'm sorry I got so angry. But I don't understand how Draco can do that sort of stuff. When I saw Neville and he said that Draco did this, I kind of lost it. I wanted him to feel the same way Neville did."

Severus nodded briefly in affirmation that he understood what she was saying. "I see." He paused, staring at her unwavering. "Tell me, Sarah, did you by chance think through what you were doing before you acted?"

Sarah knew that as much as she could have argued that Malfoy started it and that she was justified and how many people would think it was brave and honorable to defend ones friends, Snape had gotten her on that point. She hadn't thought it through. She had acted recklessly on her impulses. Pushing herself back on the couch and hanging her head, she responded in a small voice, "No sir."

Snape rose abruptly, shaking his head in clear disapproval. "Sarah Grace Black! You have to _think_ before you _act_! You lose your temper far too easily."

Severus paused to walk over to her and sit next to her. He forced her chin up to look at him. Once he was sure he had gotten her attention, he dropped his hand to her arm and continued his lecture.

"Did you think that you hexing Malfoy was just as worse as him hexing Neville?"

"But sir, he started it…" Sarah protested, eyes wide at Snape's suggestion. She was defending her friend. That was right, wasn't it?

"And _you_ knew it was wrong. _You_ could have come to any adult and reported it. But _you_ took things in your own hands. That makes you just as much to blame as him." Severus responded firmly, and for a moment they just looked at each other. Sarah opened her mouth to protest further, but she shut it quickly and Snape went on. "When you confronted Malfoy was he alone?" His voice was lower, but it didn't lose any of its sternness.

Sarah hesitated and looked past him to the wall- avoiding his eyes. If Snape found out that she confronted Malfoy with his thugs around him, he would certainly punish her for being so foolish. "yes, I believe so" She began twisting her hands and Severus reached over to stop her fidgeting.

"Are you quite certain, Sarah?" Severus stared at her intently. He wanted give her the chance to correct the lie- at least he was pretty sure it was a lie. Malfoy hardly ever went anywhere without Crabbe and Goyle.

Sarah squirmed, knowing she had been caught and realizing that both of them knew it. "No. I mean no."

"Good. I want honest answers Sarah. Don't make it worse by lying to me. Do you understand?"

Sarah dropped her eyes. "Yes, sir" she mumbled.

"Did you do anything to Malfoy in front of Crabbe and Goyle?" Severus asked.

Sarah's face reddened, "I pushed him. They started to get in my face, but…" Sarah's voice cracked at her realization.

"Draco told them to leave, didn't he?"

Sarah nodded unable to say a word for fear she might cry.

"If Draco didn't do that, you could have been seriously hurt. You don't go attacking a group of three boys who are a lot bigger than you, no matter _how angry you are_!"

Sarah hadn't thought of it that way. Draco almost protected her today. That was confusing!

"I'm really sorry sir. I really am. I'll try better." Sarah promised.

"I believe that you are sorry, but sometimes that's not enough. Sometimes there are consequences to those mistakes."

Sarah groaned, rubbing her temples. "How did this get so out of control?" she thought. She was pretty sure that while she could talk her mum out of a punishment at times, her mum's brother was going to be different. Snape didn't seem like one you could bargain with or get your way with a few tears.

Severus took a breath. "You will lose 25 points from Gryffindor as well as for the next two days every minute of your free time will be spent with me either here or in my classroom. Including that, you will miss the Gryffindor Hufflepuff game."

"WHAT! That's completely unfair! Draco started it and he only gets detention! I knew you like him more than me." Sarah felt those pesky tears come up to the surface her temper rose. "You always favor the Slytherins."

"Make that 30 points." Snape responded evenly. "This is about you, not me."

"Can't we just talk about this?" Sarah said desperately as she continued to rub her head, dropping down to rest her elbow on her knees.

Snape sighed. "We just did Black. Now it is time for you to accept the consequences of your actions. Stop making excuses and stop blaming me. Do you feel that on its own, given all we have discussed, about how the situation could have turned dangerous, that you don't deserve your free time taken away?" He tapped his fingers on her back. "Or worse? In fact, I feel I am being quite lenient."

Sarah shot her head up to stare at him, her eyes flashing dangerously. Severus raised an eyebrow as if to challenge her. "Would you like to say something, Black?"

Sarah knew in the back of her head that anything she said would just get her further in trouble. Summoning her entire will, she took a deep breath. "Alright. Can I please just go back to my dorm room now?" A few tears rolled down her cheeks and she quickly turned her head, but Severus saw them.

Snape shook his head. "Not yet. There is something else I want to talk to you about. Do you need a few minutes or will you be ready to listen without arguing?"

Sarah gritted her teeth, but turned back to face him. "Yes sir?"

"Good girl." Severus reached out to pat her arm and even though Sarah knew his words should make her feel like she was a child (which she wasn't- eleven years old was practically grown up), she warmed slightly at the praise and some of the tension was eased.

"I know you haven't wanted to talk about your mother, but Sarah, we have to start talking about Grace. Have you discussed with anybody your mother's death, besides the two times we have talked about it?" Severus asked gently.

Sarah bit her lip and shook her head. "No"

"You need to talk with someone about it. You aren't grieving; Sarah- you are just shutting those feelings inside until they become unbearable and you melt down only to bottle them back up again. It isn't healthy; take it from someone who knows." Severus reached out to place a hand on her arm.

"But I don't want to talk about it. I just want forget about it!" Sarah wiped at her eyes.

"You want to _forget_ about your mother?" Severus asked slowly, his eyes flashing over the thought that Gracie's own daughter would want to forget about her mother- his sister.

Sarah nodded, biting her lip.

Severus stiffened. "You want to pretend your mother didn't exist, Sarah? Would that make you feel better?" Severus stormed angrily, not able to contain his frustration, and Sarah jumped up, crying.

"She didn't tell me she was dying! She didn't tell me that you were my uncle. She lied to me! You even said it was wrong!" Sarah threw up her hands and stomped her foot.

Severus took a breath to calm him and when he rose slowly, his voice was steady. "I want us to get one thing straight Sarah. You can be as angry at your mum as you want. You have every right to be angry. I understand that. But it is completely _unacceptable_, young lady, to forget your mother or pretend that she didn't spend the last years of her life, raising you and loving you."

"But…"

"NO!" Severus barked, holding up a hand. "Just be quiet and listen. Your mother _loved _you. She left everything she knew to protect you and give you a stable life. You could be at least a little bit grateful. You forget, Sarah, that Gracie was my sister and I will not have her daughter dishonor her memory, do you understand?"

Sarah lips trembled and her mouth tasted salty from the tears that were flowing freely down her face. She felt so ashamed. Unable to face his censure, she returned to the couch and laid down on her stomach, burying her face deep in the couch cushions, sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Sev." Sarah said in a small voice. "I don't want to forget mum."

Severus sighed, moving her over to sit on the couch. "I know Black." He rubbed his knuckles down her back to calm her down some. "I know."

"I didn't mean that! I just don't know how not to be mad at her!" Sarah sobbed as she wrapped her arms around the pillows. "Please don't be mad at me."

Severus took a few moments to respond, pausing to choose his words carefully as his hand moved up and down her back. "Sit up, Sarah." He said gently and at his tone, Sarah obeyed. "Sarah, we all say things from time to time that we don't mean, especially when we are upset. I believe you are sorry and I forgive you." Severus pulled her towards him and squeezed her tightly. Sarah moved to bury her head in his chest.

"I've tried to stop being angry. I just can't."

"I know that, Sarah. You are a child; of course, you can't will yourself to change your feelings. Adults have a hard time doing so. But on the other hand, you need to keep talking about it. You have to try to let me in, Black. If you are feeling particularly angry, I want you to come to me. It's alright to be angry, but I don't want you forget about all the wonderful times I know you had with your mum."

Sarah nodded into his chest. "Alright." She said as she pulled away. Severus kept two hands- one on each of her shoulders.

"I want us to try something." Severus said quietly. "I want us to start sharing memories of Grace. I don't know anything about the last eleven years and I know you don't know anything about Grace and my relationship. So, I want us to try something. Each time we meet to discuss your grades, I am going to ask you one question and you can ask me one question. I'm not saying it will help, but I think it is important nonetheless. Do you think you could be cooperative?"

"Alright" Sarah said, wiping her tears.

"Good" Severus patted her arm. "Let's get you back to your dorm room. It's late. We have classes tomorrow and you need to come and see me when you wake up. 7 am."

Sarah sighed. "OK." She knew it was going to be a long two days.

--

When Sarah walked in to the common room, she was greeted by an anxious Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"What happened?" Harry asked. "You were gone for over an hour!"

Sarah told them the story, leaving out the conversation Snape and she had about her mum.

Hermione was shocked, "You confronted Malfoy by yourself? That was stupid!"

"Agh, Mione" Sarah groaned. "I've already been punished. You don't have to tell me how stupid I was."

Harry interrupted to change the subject, "We found out who Nicolas Flamel is. He is the creator of the Sorcerer's Stone."

Sarah paused, "The what?"


	15. Mischief

**Disclaimer: **Don't own, never have, never will.

**A/N:** here's another chapter. A big thanks to those who took the time to review. It really is encouraging to get feedback. Please take time to let me know what you think of this chapter. Thanks!

**Chapter 15- Mischief**

"Sarah?" Fred Weasley shook his friend's shoulder. "Sarah?" Again, he shook her. "Sarah, _wake up_!" Fred whispered.

"Fred?" Sarah said sleepily, her eyes fluttering open. "Wh…_what_ are you doing in my room?" she stammered.

"Shhh" Fred put a finger to his lips and then reached to grab her hand. "Come with me" he whispered. In a daze, she allowed him to pull her up and out of bed, watched as he grabbed her wand from her nightstand and a sweater from her trunk located at the end of her bed, and led her down the steps and into the common room.

"What time is it?" Sarah asked as she rubbed her eyes. "I'm sleepy." she swayed, off balanced.

"2:30" Fred reached to steady her.

"How did you get in the girls' dorm? Aren't there spells?"

Fred nodded. "There are for the older girls and boys' rooms, but not for the first years. They figure that they are too young to get into trouble…well, certain kinds of trouble…" Fred paused and shook his head at the confused look his sleepy friend gave him. "Never mind. Come on. Here's your wand." Fred gave her it.

"Wait a minute" Sarah reached a hand to stop him. "Where are we going?" Her mind was registering that something was off as she fingered her wand. "Where's George?"

Fred sighed. "I couldn't wake him up. Gets a bit cranky some nights. But we had this plan. It has to happen tonight. So, I decided that you are our substitute."

"What has to happen? And why tonight? And what if we get caught?" Sarah fired off the questions.

"You are already grounded. What else can Snape do to you?" Fred asked.

"How did you know?" Sarah gasped. "It just happened tonight- well, I guess it would be yesterday night. Would it be yesterday night? Or would it be tonight? I'm confused." Sarah plopped down on the couch, crossing her legs and dropping her wand beside her.

"I know everything." Fred said solemnly. "No, no, Miss Black, we have a mission to accomplish." Fred grabbed each of her hands in his and hoisted her up once again. "Let's go. We are going to Filch's office. He just so happens to be in the infirmary overnight. It is the only night we can retrieve our joke products that he took. And retrieve them we must. Are you in?"

Sarah rubbed her eyes again, shivering in the cold common room and picked up her wand from the couch. "Why did he take your products?"

"Why does Filch do anything he ever does? He hates students. But it doesn't matter. Let's go. Here, put your sweater on. It can be cold in the halls late at night." Fred tossed her sweater.

"I know that, Fred." Sarah said as she handed him her wand to hold while she put on her sweater and pulled her hair out, securing it in a ponytail with a band that she had around her wrist.

"How would you know that?" Fred gave her a mock stern look. "George and I only include you on our pranks that happen before curfew."

Sarah tossed her head, reaching for her wand again. "I don't need you and George to sneak out after curfew."

Fred laughed. "So have you?"

Sarah nodded. "Once."

"And what were you doing?" Fred prompted gleefully.

"It's not important. Let's go if we are going to go." Sarah was getting impatient.

"Alright, alright, you sure are cranky this late at night." Fred teased her.

"Oh shove it." Sarah rolled her eyes and Fred grinned.

They walked out through the portrait hole and made their way to Filch's office. The halls were deserted and even the portraits were snoozing. The only light was the light that Fred pointed at the ground and as a result Sarah inched closer to him as they made their way through the dark hallways. Fred gave her a quizzical look, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight as he led the way. They reached Filch's door, which was locked.

"Would you like to do the honors or should I?" Fred asked.

"I'll do it." Sarah said. She pointed her wand at the door.

"Wait" Fred whispered. "Make sure you have control because you need to do it quietly. The door can't explode or anything."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I know how to unlock the door. Hermione taught me when I accidentally locked my trunk and I had to open it. I'm quite good in charms, you know." Sarah said defensively.

Fred shrugged his shoulders. "You _are_ a first year."

Sarah pointed her wand towards him. "I also know some hexes that my favorite Weasley twins taught me. Would you like me to show you?"

Fred laughed. "Alright, you win. I will have to tell George that we created a monster in our apprentice."

Sarah grinned in triumph. "Alohomora" The door clicked open and Sarah and Fred crept inside.

Fred walked towards the filing cabinet. "Keep a lookout, Sarah." he whispered.

"I got your back, just hurry." Sarah said. "Be careful, there might be charms on the filing cabinet"

"Nah. Filch is a squib, he couldn't do it even if he wanted to." Fred gingerly opened the cabinet and filtered through files until he got to the ones with his products. It was in a box called "Confiscated Items". Fred pulled out the box. He nearly dropped it with a shriek as it called out to him. "Password please."

"It's magical, Sarah." Sarah turned and walked over towards him to study the box.

"Filch's password has to be obvious, Fred. Mrs. Norris." The box flipped open and the items flew out. "That was too easy" Sarah said in triumph.

Fred bent down to scoop up his products and his eye caught a piece of parchment.

"What is this?" he asked.

Sarah turned and saw Fred pick up a piece of parchment. She went over to examine it. "I don't know. It looks like a blank piece of parchment."

"Not if Filch confiscated it. It must be something good. I'll hold on to this." Fred pocketed it as Sarah went over to gaze at the filing cabinet.

"Does Filch have a file on every student?" Sarah asked curiously as she ran her fingers across the tips of the files.

"No, only the ones he considers troublemakers. I'm sure you are in there." Fred said with a knowing look. "Go on; look to see what he says about you." Sarah looked through the B, until she got to her file.

"Black, Sarah. That's me" She was about to pull it out, when another much larger file caught her eye. It was so big it took about 2/3 of the B section of the filing cabinet.

"Fred, look here." Sarah said in a low voice. Fred glanced back to see the color drain from her face. He came closer to peer over her shoulder.

"Sirius Black. Isn't he your dad?" Fred asked. Sarah didn't answer only gripped her father's file and pulled. It came out and dust flew around them.

"Why would Filch keep this so long? Look how big his file is!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Sarah" Fred gripped her shoulder. "Did your mum ever tell you where your Dad is?"

"Azkaban" She replied absently, opening the file.

"Did she tell you what for?" Fred asked gently.

"No" A picture slipped out and Sarah caught it. Her eyes grew wide at her father, Sirius Black, about 16 years old, his arm thrown carelessly around her mother. He was whispering something in her ear and she was laughing her head resting on his chest. "Look Fred, it's my mum and dad!"

Fred took the picture from her. "You look just like your mum. Aren't you curious about your dad, Sarah?"

"No" Sarah took the picture back from him. "Well, yes, but not about what he did. When I look at the pictures of my mum and dad, I know the Ministry has made a huge mistake. And one day, they will realize it and we will be together again. Or at least that is what I hoped, but that will never happen anymore- not the three of us anyways." Sarah looked sorrowfully at the picture in her hand. "I want to keep this." Sarah grabbed some pages of her Dad's file. "There, that way Filch won't know that I took it like he would if I took the whole thing. But at least I have something."

"Good idea. Here, I will hold it while you put the file back." Fred took the picture and the papers from her. Sarah carefully put the file back in its place and closed the filing cabinet door.

They walked towards the door and Sarah looked back briefly. "Fred, do you think it is kind of creepy that Filch has kept a file on all of us?"

Fred grinned. "He has to have something to do to keep him busy. Thing of how boring his life would be without us."

Sarah laughed. "Well, when you put it that way, it kind of seems like our troublemaking is actually a good thing"

"I like to think so, Sarah." Fred responded seriously and Sarah grinned.

"And to think, we never get house points for it. It's bloody injustice." Fred quipped.

--

"Sarah, wake up!" Hermione shook her shoulder. "Sarah, it's 7:15!"

Sarah groaned and rolled over. Hermione shook her head. "Sarah!" She hissed. "If you are any later, Professor Snape said 7:00- you're in trouble."

At the words "Professor Snape" and "trouble" Sarah shot up, suddenly panicked. "W…wait. What time is it?" She asked in confusion.

"7:15" Hermione said with a small shake of her head.

"That's impossible. I set my alarm for 6:30." Sarah groaned. "I'm in trouble, oh, oh, oh, no!" Still her head felt foggy for her lack of sleep. "I'm so tired, I don't think I can think."

"Shh…the others are still asleep. Just go, Sarah." Hermione grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

Sarah reached for her robes. "I'll put these on over my pajamas. Snape won't notice." she whispered.

"Snape notices everything!" Hermione sighed. "You better change."

"I don't have time!" Sarah hissed. "He will be too distracted by me being now 20 minutes late to even care. Where are my school books?"

"Here" Hermione shoved a handful of books into her hand. "Just hurry!" Sarah ran out the door in a haze. All she wanted to do was crawl back in bed and go to sleep. She walked quickly through the halls, unable to walk in a straight line. Her head was pounding from her interrupted sleep and there was no denying, she was in a foul mood. To be woken up by Hermione's scolding to learn that she was in for another scolding or worse, was too much for her to handle. She made it to Snape's quarters, quickly said the password and entered, now 25 minutes late to her horror.

Snape was sitting in his chair, his feet up reading the newspaper. He glanced at the clock and continued his reading. Sarah dumped her armful of books on the couch next to her. Her head felt so heavy, maybe if she just leaned back a little that would make it feel better. Snape seemed content with his newspaper, what did he expect her to do- wait for him to scold her? She closed her eyes.

"You better not be falling back asleep Black. That would be most unwise." Snape snapped as he closed the paper and folded it neatly, placing it beside him.

Sarah opened her eyes to glare. "Tired." she mumbled.

"Indeed." Snape remarked. "However, the more pertinent question is _why are you tired_, Black?"

"I'm always tired in the morning." Sarah fumbled.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "You look like you didn't get enough sleep last night. I thought I told you to go to bed when you left my quarters last night."

"I did!" Sarah scowled. "I didn't do anything wrong. Stop acting like I always do something wrong."

"Excuse me?" Snape's eyes narrowed. "Come here." Snape beckoned to her with a finger. Sarah stomped across the room, her bottom lip curling into a pout. "This little tantrum you are having is going to stop _this instance_, Sarah. Go sit in that chair- you need a time out." Snape pointed to a hard backed chair placed between a bookcase and the couch.

"Only little kids get time outs!" Sarah protested, stamping her foot.

"And you are acting like one. Go on. I want you to sit there until you are ready to have a rational conversation about why you were late without the massive attitude you insist on giving right now." Snape pushed her in the direction of the chair and reached for his newspaper again, opening it up.

"I hate that you are always so calm!" Sarah responded, slouching down on the chair trying to get comfortable.

"Someone has to be the adult here, Black." Severus remarked calmly. "And believe me; it is taking everything in me not to lose my temper at you. Stop talking and sit up."

Sarah huffed, but obeyed. After about ten minutes, Severus closed the newspaper and tossed it aside. Sarah watched him stand and cross the room to where she was seated. He towered over her as he addressed her. "Are you ready to have a conversation without being so childish?" Sarah nodded once. "Then come over and sit on the couch."

Sarah settled herself on the couch as Snape sat next to her.

"Now, as I was asking before, did you go to bed when I told you to, Sarah?" Snape asked.

"Yes, sir. I went back to my common room, talked for a few minutes with Ron, Hermione and Harry to tell them where I was and then right to bed." Sarah explained.

"If that is the case, then why are you so tired? You look like you barely got any sleep." Severus studied her carefully and for a moment, was certain he saw a look of guilt cross his niece's features.

"I'm not sure." Sarah said, playing with the hem of her robe, but then remembering her pajamas underneath, quickly dropped her hand to her lap.

"So you went to bed once you got back and remained in bed until you woke up this morning." Severus searched her face.

Sarah didn't hesitate. "Yes, sir." Severus's eyes narrowed. She had answered almost too quickly.

"Alright" Severus responded slowly. "I assume you were late because you overslept."

"Yes, I set my alarm, I don't know what happened."

"I suppose that means that you will have to spend tonight in my quarters so I can ensure that you wake up on time." Severus gave her a pat on the arm and a stern look.

Sarah bit back a groan. "Yes, sir."

Severus continued. "And I suppose we must have breakfast here this morning instead of in the Great Hall." He rose and gave Sarah a look that she interpreted as her needing to follow him.

"Why is that?" Sarah asked, confused as they reached his dining room.

Severus whipped around, his robes swishing. "Do not tell me, Black, that you would have dared gone to breakfast or worse yet classes with your pajamas still underneath your robes." The glare he gave her would have had fifth years quaking.

Sarah stepped back. "Um, no, of course not" She mumbled. "I hate it that Hermione is always right." she sighed.

"You can get dressed after breakfast." Severus stuck his head into the fire place and a few minutes later, a house elf brought food. He handed her a plate of eggs and toast. "You must want jam too." Severus handed her the pot of jam and began buttering his own toast.

"You know Black" Severus said causally as he took a bite of his toast, "I had a visit from Mr. Filch early this morning." Sarah nearly choked on the orange juice she was drinking. She had to swallow hard, causing her throat to become sore. She took a couple more sips, trying to alleviate the ache.

"Apparently someone broke into his office last night. He was in the infirmary with an illness. Of course, I asked him what was missing. Some confiscated items that he took from the Weasley twins."

"Maybe he just misplaced them." Sarah shrugged her shoulders.

"Perhaps." Severus began eating his eggs. "Curious though. There were also a few pages torn out of a file he kept on Sirius Black."

"Busted" Sarah thought. "Wait, he has no proof." After a few minutes of internal wrestling, she responded, "Why would someone want pages from a file on Dad?" She placed her hand on the side of her head as she at her food, unable to fight the exhaustion.

"That is what I would like to know Sarah. Elbow off the table." Severus stared. "You are awfully tired, one might think that you didn't sleep all night. You didn't by any chance wake up in the middle of the night? That _could_ explain why you are so tired."

"Not that I remember" Sarah tried hard to keep her tone casual.

"Hmmm" Severus continued to eat his food. They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Severus placed his fork down on his plate. "You do understand, Sarah, that once you lie to someone, it causes them to question everything else you tell them. If I ever catch you out of your bed in the middle of the night, rest assured I will remember this moment."

Sarah opened her mouth, but then snapped it shut. Severus looked at the clock. "Time to go. Go back to your room and change and then go to class."

Sarah rubbed her eyes. "Yes, sir."

"I will see you in double potions this afternoon." Snape said as she rose from her seat. "By the way, if you fall asleep in my class this afternoon, you will not like the consequences."

Sarah gulped. "Yes sir. See you this afternoon." She said as she rushed out of the room, eager to get as far away from Snape as possible.

--

"I need your help" Sarah turned to Harry as they entered Potions. "I can't fall asleep in class."

"You look like you are going to fall asleep standing up." Hermione told her disapprovingly. "Why are you so tired anyways?"

Sarah looked around to make sure Snape wasn't there yet. "Fred woke me up in the middle of the night to go steal back his confiscated products from Filch's office."

"Wicked" Ron said approvingly. "Why doesn't my brother ask me to help him? I would have gone with him."

"You would not have" Hermione said. "You could have gotten in serious trouble, like Sarah will be if Professor Snape finds out."

"He doesn't know, does he?" Harry asked, concerned.

Sarah sighed. "I think he might. But he has no proof, so he only said if he ever catches me, he said that he would then remember what happened."

"What are four Gryffindors doing loitering in the front of the room? Go take your seats." Snape glared at them and Sarah jumped, but Harry grabbed her arm, whispering in her ear on the way. "He didn't hear anything, don't worry."

"How does he do that? I can't spend the next six years of my life like this" Sarah sighed.

"Maybe you will have to change. You know- follow the rules from now on" Harry suggested, but Sarah gave him a dubious look.

"I know it is unlikely" Harry quipped and Sarah elbowed him in the stomach.

"Just keep me awake and don't let me burn the potion we are making." Sarah pulled her elbows on the desk and rested her head in her hands.

"We burn the potions even when you are awake." Harry commented. "I don't know how I can stop that from happening when you are about to fall asleep. I think it is a lost cause."

Sarah groaned and Harry was proven right. They did burn their potion much to Snape's disgust. He deducted more house points and because Sarah was grounded, after dinner, he sought to torment her by pounding her with questions about the potions making process and then to her unending horror, made her redo the potion, while he was standing over her, watching. By the end of it, Sarah's head was throbbing to the point where she was sure it was going to explode. For once, Snape took pity on the child and led her back to his quarters, sitting her down on the couch. After feeling her head for signs of a fever, inquiring about where she felt pain, he retrieved the headache relief potion from his stores and Sarah took it without complaint. The tension in her head eased almost immediately, but she felt even drowsier. Still, she had homework to do, so while Snape graded essays, Sarah struggled to complete her reading for defense. Four pages in, she closed her eyes and shifted to curl up on the couch. It was only 8:00, but Sarah fell asleep.

From his chair, Snape sighed when he saw that Sarah had fallen asleep during her defense reading. Knowing he should wake her up, but realizing that the child was exhausted (even if it was her own fault for sneaking out in the middle of the night), he got up and carefully took the book away from her. He reached for the blanket that was lying on the back of the couch and used it to cover her, making sure her feet was tucked inside the folds of the blanket. He would let her sleep for a while, and then wake her up to finish her reading. Snape watched Sarah for a few minutes. He was certain that she helped the Weasley twins steal from Filch's office. Who else would want a part of Sirius Black's file? Not to mention that Sarah looked like a child who had her sleep interrupted. And Severus couldn't deny that Sarah was a terrible liar- the guilt was practically written on her face. Still, he had no proof and he wasn't about to antagonize the child, jeopardizing the relationship they were forming. It wasn't that he was letting her get away with it. Years of a potion making had taught him the importance of patience. It was inevitable that Sarah's mischief making would catch up with her; when it did, then he would take action. She needed someone to be firm with her to squelch wretched Sirius Black's personality traits that he passed down to his daughter. Still, Severus found that even with those traits, Sarah was a sweet child, who just need guidance and accountability. He was confident that she wouldn't end up like her father and that gave Severus great relief. Satisfied, he pulled out a potions journal and began reading.

About an hour later, Sarah stirred and sat up. She took a couple deep breaths and looked wearily at Snape, who was engrossed in his reading.

"Uncle Sev…" Sarah's voice shook and lip trembled. At the sound of emotion in her voice, Severus immediately turned his attention to his niece.

"What is it, Sarah?"

"Can I sit closer to you, please?" Sarah asked. Both she and Snape were surprised by her question. Sarah seemed unsure of herself and Severus knew she was scared he would say no. Even though Snape did not do well with affection of any sort, with the exception of his late sister and on occasion, Narcissa and his godson, he was becoming more comfortable with his niece and her need for comfort. Even so, it was usually him awkwardly initiating the contact, with the exception at the time at Christmas. For Sarah to ask this question was a good sign, Severus determined.

"You may" Severus responded. He scooted over in his arm chair, magically expanding it a little as he did, and Sarah stood up, wrapping the blanket around her and crossed the floor to sit next to him. "Would you like to tell me what is wrong?" he asked.

Sarah nodded, trembling. She leaned back to rest her head against the back of the chair. She seemed to take comfort in the proximity of being near to Severus. "I had a dream that mum was alive. It was like all that had happened had been the dream and my dream was real…" Sarah sighed. "I don't know; it just was so real. And I was so happy and then I woke up and…" Sarah wiped her eyes with her hands.

"And you remembered the truth" Severus said. He put his arm around her and Sarah rested her head on his shoulder. "Accio Tissues" Severus caught the box that floated over and handed her several tissues.

"I feel like I must be going crazy. Who does that? I was so sure." Sarah crumpled the tissues in her hand.

"Oh, Sarah" Severus sighed. "It's normal, when you have lost someone you were close to. And that compounded with that you are so young, it was inevitable that you would dream about your mum."

"I just miss her. Everything has changed. This is not the way it should be. It isn't fair! Why did this happen?"

"I don't know. I am as unsure about it as you are. I wish I could give you an answer, Sarah." Severus stared at the wall across from them, deep in thought. His hand absently stroked her hair. "I know what your mum would say though."

"What?"

"She would say that the world isn't the way it is supposed to be. And somehow, someway we have to hope that eventually things will be made right." Severus paused and continued in a low voice, "Your mum was all about holding on to hope, even as a little girl."

Sarah shifted to look at her uncle. "What do you mean?"

"It was sometimes about serious things, but sometimes about silly things." Severus stopped and chuckled, remembering a time from his childhood.

"What's so funny?" Sarah asked curiously.

"I was just remembering one of those silly times. Would you like to hear it?"

Sarah nodded and Severus continued. "One summer, when your mum was five, it had been raining for a week straight. Every day, when she woke up, she would hop to the window and look out for signs of the sun. And each day, she would say, 'That's ok. It will be sunny soon.' and plan all the things we would do once the sun started shining again. You would think after the third day, she would be disappointed, but she wasn't. She held on to that hope, that after the rain, there would be sun."

Sarah laughed. "So what did she do when it came out?"

Severus chuckled again. "Your mum ran outside and said 'Welcome sun. I _knew_ you would come out again.' I think she spun around a couple times in the grass and then turned to me and said 'I told you so, Sev'. I had been sure that the sun was never coming out again."

"Mum was so crazy" Sarah said with a sigh.

Severus nodded. "She was, but being able to be hopeful in midst of hopeless situations, was one of your mum's strengths."

"Do you think that is how she got through it all?" Sarah asked.

"I do" Severus responded. "Alright, I told you something about your mother. Now it is your turn. What was your favorite thing that you and your mum did?"

"Hmmm" Sarah rested her head back on Severus's shoulder. "We would read together. We loved reading books. We would always read after dinner, snuggling on the couch under a blanket. It was our special time." Sarah paused. "We were going to start the _Chronicles of Narnia_ this summer."

Severus smiled. "Your mum and I would read together growing up, well, once we learned how to read. That was one of your mum's favorite series. She loved those books."

"Yeah, I'm surprised we waited so long to read them." Sarah yawned.

"Speaking of reading" Severus gave her a stern look. "You fell asleep during your defense reading."

Sarah gave him a sheepish look. "I did, didn't I?"

"You did." Severus gave her a firm pat on the arm. "Finish your reading, then time for bed."

Sarah sighed. "I suppose it would be too much to _hope_, that you might let me finish tomorrow morning." Sarah said mischievously as she rose.

"Indeed" Severus said dryly, swatting her as she got up. "Nice try, though, Black." He shook his head at his niece. Between his niece's propensity for trouble, her ability to lie at the drop of a hat, and her mischievous nature, he was sure that she would be the sole cause of him going gray before it was all over with. But in spite of that, he was unsure that he would want it any other way.


	16. Spells, Potions, and Truths

A/N: An extra long chapter! Please read the Author's note at the end because I need some feedback. Thanks to all who are still reading and reviewing! :)

Disclaimer: Yep, that's right. You've guessed it. I still don't own it. Shocker, I know!

**Chapter 16: Spells, Potions, and Truths**

_Tap. Tap. Tap_. Sarah sighed.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._ She drummed her fingers on the table, tired of staring at her Transfiguration book. Sarah couldn't believe it- she had just finished her essay. It wasn't due for another _three_ days but since Snape decided to hold her hostage (um, _punish_ her) she had finished it early. Now, she was bored and sick of doing school work. So, instead of picking up her potions book for the billionth time, she decided that she would tap her fingers on the desk in hopes to waste time.

"Quit it Black" Snape growled. He was at his desk grading a pile of third year potions essays. They were atrocious and Severus was irritated at the dunderheads he taught.

Sarah sighed dramatically. "Sorry"

She opened up her potions book, read a few lines and began rhythmically tapping again.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap Tap. Tap. Tap Tap. Tap_

"SARAH GRACE BLACK" Snape roared, slapping his palm on his desk, finally losing his patience with his niece. He glared at her. "I thought I told you to cease your tapping."

"I'm sorry sir, I can't help it. I'm bored." Sarah shrugged her shoulders.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I can't imagine how you could be bored. Do you not have enough work to keep you busy?"

"I finished my work." Sarah said, closing her potions book. At Severus's skeptical look, she added "sir".

Snape's eyes narrowed, "_All_ of it? Including reading?"

"I'm re-reading my reading sir" Sarah scrunched up her face in disgust. "It's horrendous."

"Potions?"

"Done two hours ago"

"Transfiguration?"

"Finished"

"Defense?"

"Quirrell doesn't really teach us anything." She gave her uncle a smile. "But finished."

"Let me see your essay for transfiguration. Accio Essay." Snape said and the parchment came soaring over.

Snape spread the parchment on his desk, and began scribbling on it. Sarah groaned. "Uncle Sev, you really don't have to do that. It's good enough."

"Quiet" Severus commanded as he continued to examine the parchment. As Severus continued to mark, Sarah got nervous. She did want him to think it was good. She was relieved, when Snape looked up. "Not bad Black. Your spelling is atrocious, but your ideas are there. Fix the mistakes."

"Yes sir". A half an hour later, she was done yet again and drumming once more. _Tap. Tap. Tap. _

"You know Uncle Sev, you could let me go to the game tomorrow since I have done such a great job with all my work" Sarah said smoothly.

"No" Snape didn't look up from his essays.

"But don't you want me to be there so I can tell everyone that you aren't throwing points Hufflepuff's way? I can't believe Dumbledore thought it was a good idea for you to ref!"

At Snape's glare, Sarah added, "Not that you aren't a good ref, sir, it's just that you hate Gryffindor."

Snape glanced up, "So its one moment I hate Gryffindor, the other you are going to defend me to your Gryffindor friends? Which is it Black?"

Realizing, he had caught her in a quandary, Sarah stamped her foot a bit and pouted, "Please?"

"It doesn't work with me Sarah Grace. It just serves to further irritate me. The answer is no. And don't even try to say you don't deserve all this fun you are having." He shook a finger in her direction. "If you are finished, you may sit quietly and think of why you are in this situation."

"Fine" Sarah sulked and pulled open the Defense book that Remus Lupin had given for Christmas. "Why not read it?" Sarah thought. "I have nothing else to do."

_A wizard uses the protego spell to create a shield as a defense that blocks unwanted hexes and curses. It is highly advanced and many adults can't execute it properly._

Sarah tapped her fingers again and then at Snape's low growl, touched her wand sitting on her desk. "Why not? Probably nothing will happen, and I'm sooooooo bored" She thought as she studied the directions and practiced the swish of her wand and thinking the word "Protego".

When she felt she was ready, she said the word softly. "Protego"

At the words piercing the silence, Snape looked up to see her wand emit a flicker of light. He quickly rose and walked over to his niece, grabbing her arm. "What spell was that?"

"Um, let me see." Sarah looked down at the book. "That was the Shield Spell"

"Impossible!" Severus looked at her in disbelief. "Many adults can't even properly produce the spell."

"It didn't work" Sarah sighed. "It just made a flicker. I read about it and thought I would try it. I didn't mean to make you upset."

"Try it again." he commanded, dark eyes on her.

"Protego" Sarah flicked her wand and the light flowing from her wand grew longer.

Severus retrieved his own wand from the pockets of his robes. "The wand movement is slightly different. Watch carefully. Protego" A shield emerged from his wand. "Practice the wand movement." He demonstrated once again.

Sarah watched him and repeated the movement. When Snape was satisfied, he instructed her to try it again. "Focus, Sarah. Protego."

Sarah nodded, concentrating on the spell. "Protego". To her astonishment, a baby shield came out of her wand. "At least it was more than a flicker" she thought.

"Very good. That's enough for now." Severus said abruptly. "I don't want you trying that spell on your own again." He looked at her severely. "You don't play with spells like that."

"But practicing…" Sarah said as she yawned and sat down, suddenly very tired.

"No." Severus held up a hand. "You are still young and your body can sustain that type of magic only in small doses." Severus explained. "You shouldn't even be able to produce a baby shield at your age. And certainly, you should never ever practice a spell you don't know on your own, Black." He eyed her sternly, leaning down so he was eye level with her. "Do you understand?"

Sarah shuffled her feet underneath her. "I understand, sir." She felt the urge to put her head down on the open book, but settled for leaning over and resting her elbows on the table.

He walked over to his potions cabin and pulled out a small vial. Walking back over, he shoved it in her hand.

"Drink this." He commanded.

Sarah eyed it, skeptically. "What is it?" she said as she wrinkled up her nose when she smelled it.

"Black" he replied, impatiently tapping his foot.

"Fine" she grabbed the vial and drank it. It tasted horrible, but after a few moments, she had begun to feel better and less tired.

"As I said, you're too young to sustain that type of magic. It wears you out. However, you and I are going to be practicing more. Your mother especially wanted me to train you."

Sarah looked at him quizzically. "For what?"

Severus moved to sit back down behind his desk, folding his hands on the table.

"Sarah" Severus said gravely, "I don't know about how much your mother told you."

"Told me?" Sarah said slowly, frowning. "About what?"

" About the Dark Lord"

"You mean the guy who killed Harry's parents?" She asked.

"Yes" Snape said cautiously. "How much did she tell you?"

"She didn't really tell me much about it. Only that Voldemort…"

"Don't say his name" Severus interrupted sharply.

Sarah looked at him confused, "But why not? I know other people are scared to but I thought you were different"

"Well, I'm not." Severus glared at her.

Sarah held up her hands in defeat. "OK sir…"

"Go on"

"Only that he who must not be named killed Uncle James and Aunt Lily. I figured out from what I have heard that he tried to kill Harry, but it didn't work" Sarah hesitated and looked wearily at her uncle.

"What do you want to ask Sarah?" At seeing her hesitate, his abrasive tone softened.

"Why did he do that?" Sarah asked simply.

Severus sighed. "I'm not going to tell you all the details, you are not old enough." Severus looked at her indignant expression and continued, "No, you're not, Sarah. But I will tell you more than your mother told you." He stood to begin pacing in front of his desk, his robes swishing. Sarah could tell that he was in Professor Snape lecture mode, and while she wanted to learn about it, it was a bit unnerving watching someone pace in front of you.

"The Dark Lord craved to be all powerful. He preached that the only wizards worthy of knowing were pure-bloods and every other wizards were inferior, especially wizards born of muggle parents."

"Like Hermione? But she is the smartest one of our class!" Sarah objected.

"Yes, that is correct, but the Dark Lord didn't believe this. He gained a following and his "Death Eaters" did his beckoning- terrorizing anybody who stood in the Dark Lord's way. Dumbledore formed a resistance called the Order of the Phoenix. Your mother, father, Remus Lupin, and Lily and James Potter were a few members who fought to stop the Dark Lord from gaining power." Severus explained.

Looking at Sarah's expectant face, Severus sighed and moved his chair so he was sitting directly in front of her. He reached out to touch her arm. "Sarah" he began gravely. "There is something else you must know. I know what the Dark Lord was capable of because I was one of his followers before I turned and spied for Dumbledore."

Sarah's eyes grew wide as she hitched her breath. Severus could read the emotions so clearly on her face- shock, struggle to comprehend this new piece of information, followed by to Severus's dismay, some sort of resolution, "But you changed, Uncle Sev. That's all that matters."

Severus was surprised at the confidence she displayed in that statement. She was indeed like Grace in more ways than one. While his niece was feisty, her sweet acceptance reminded him so much of his sister. It was something Grace would have said at a moment like this.

"Thank you Sarah. But I also know that the Dark Lord didn't die. And he _will_ find a way to come back to full power. When he does, his first target will be Harry Potter. You being Harry's friend and my niece will also be in danger. I don't wish to scare you, but we must work on preparing you for that day."

Sarah remained silent, her forehead creasing in worry. She was scared about what her uncle was telling her, but she didn't want to admit it. She was supposed to be a brave Gryffindor after all.

Severus saw right through Sarah's façade of bravery. On one hand, Sarah was Sirius Black's daughter. Like her father, she couldn't control her emotions easily. On the other side, she tried hard. He didn't ask for this situation. Sarah didn't either. However, he was a grown man and Sarah was just a little girl who in the past months had to endure what no child should have to. To lose her mother and have to answer to a man who she thought hated her. The way the child warmed up to him showed that she just wanted to be loved. Severus only knew two people who truly loved him and even then it hadn't been enough to protect him from himself. He wanted it to be different for Sarah. In a sudden wave of emotion, he reached out to grab her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"It's alright to be afraid Sarah. You should be. I can only tell you that I will help you. You aren't alone. And when the time comes, I'll be here." Severus vowed.

With those words, he took the child into his arms. Somehow, in some way, it seemed natural to him.

Tears formed in Sarah's eyes. Yes, she knew her uncle had two sides of him, but for the moment, he was all she had. She hugged him tightly.

--

From that day, Severus started his lessons with Sarah. While he was sometimes impatient, he found that unlike most students he taught, his niece was hardworking and bright. She was eager to learn and began to make progress especially with the Shield Spell. For a witch her age, this feat was remarkable. He also tutored her in potions. Though both he and Grace were gifted at the subject, Sarah's lack of patience often made her potions a disaster. It was over this subject that Sarah and Severus were at odds. He continued to demand excellence from her and she began to get frustrated. This overflowed into potions class, which made for some tense moments between uncle and niece. Snape, intent on not playing favorites as well as determined to have her succeed in his expert subject, made his treatment of Sarah harsher than it should be. After one such potions class, Sarah became convinced that Severus was starting to hate her again.

She and Harry were working to brew a forgetfulness potion. Sarah had been zoning out during the lecture (her uncle's voice had a habit of just droning on and on when discussing potions). And Harry was hopeless in potions, which didn't help. So, she completely missed that the potion was supposed to simmer for 10 minutes before adding the last ingredient. Snape had gone to study one of the Slytherins potions and after 3 minutes of letting it simmer, Sarah turned to Harry.

"I think that's long enough." Sarah said satisfied. "Let's just throw in this"

"Are you sure?" Harry asked. "Maybe we should ask Mione"

Sarah giggled. "You don't trust my potion making ability?" she asked her friend.

Harry gave his head a small shake. "No offense, Sarah, but you suck at potions."

Sarah laughed again. "Yeah, but no more than you do."

"That's not saying much" Harry muttered.

"Fine, let's ask Mione" But as she turned to Mione, she saw that Snape had made his way up to stand behind her and Ron. She couldn't ask her then because Snape would know she hadn't been listening and that would just be bad.

"Oh, crap" She muttered.

"Yeah, rotten timing" Harry agreed. "Let's just do it, ok?"

"Fine" Sarah picked up the root and threw it in to the cauldron, which started to bubble rapidly. "Oh, Harry, it's going to overflow. Do something!" She hissed, but Harry had backed up away from the table and Sarah reached to stir it, hoping that would help.

At that moment, Snape turned his head and quickly assessed the situation. He was about to cast a spell to contain the bubbling potion, when to his astonishment, Sarah reached to stir.

"Black, Stop!" he barked, but it was too late. The potion splattered on her arm, burning it and Sarah screamed at the flash of pain, holding her arm. Severus quickly contained the potion, but his anger at her carelessness overflowed. "You foolish, child!" Severus scolded reaching for her, but Sarah backed away from him. "How many times do I have to tell you that when your potion gets out of control you need to seek help immediately instead of taking things into your own hands? And you never stir more to get an overflowing potion out of control!" He scolded as he stepped forward to firmly grasp her arm in order to examine it.

"Professor" Hermione tried to intercede. "I think Sarah needs to go to the hospital wing." Ron and Harry gave her sympathetic looks and even Malfoy had turned away from his potion to step closer to the Gryffindor side of the room.

Sarah bit her lip trying not to groan from the pain in her arm or Snape's sharp censure, but she was unable to stop the flood of tears.

"Of course" Snape snapped at Hermione. "Potter, since your potion is ruined as well, take Black to the hospital wing."

"I don't need to go" Sarah protested weakly. She really hated hospitals.

"Don't be ridiculous Black." He turned so his back was facing the room and leaned down to whisper in Sarah's ear. "Go see Madam Pomfrey. She can heal you properly. When class is over in 20 minutes, I will come, I promise."

"I don't want to go by myself. Can't you heal it?" Sarah whispered back. "Please?"

Severus hesitated, looking at the students who were watching and the room full of neglected cauldrons full of boiling potions. Who knew which accidents would happen now that the students' focus was somewhere else? With that, Severus made a decision. Pulling out his wand, he stopped all the potions and cleaned up. "Class dismissed. You may write a foot essay on the dangers of potion brewing and what to do when a potion gets out of control, due on my desk at the beginning of next class." The class groaned. "Potter, get Black's bag. I'm taking her to the hospital wing."

"But can't you heal it?" Sarah insisted, her head swarming from the pain. Severus steadied her, guiding her out the door.

"No" Severus said shortly. "I want Madam Pomfrey to heal it. You have some severe burn spots. The boiling potion overflowed onto your arm, Sarah."

"I thought I backed up before most of it got me" Sarah protested, but stopped when a wave of dizziness hit.

"Not quick enough" Severus said with a frown, allowing her to lean on him as he continued down the hall. "What ever were you thinking?"

"I guess I wasn't" Sarah responded feebly.

"Obviously" They made the way to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey greeted them.

"Severus, who is this? What happened?"

"Black, here, burned her arm." Severus explained as he tried to prevent Sarah from shrinking away and escaping back through the door. "A boiling potion overflowed onto it."

Poppy shook her head. "Potions, such a dangerous subject, especially for first years." She commented.

"Only first years that don't pay attention, Poppy" Severus gave his niece a severe look and Poppy, in turn, gave Severus a frown.

"Leave the poor child, alone. Sit here, Sarah. Do you feel dizzy?" Poppy noticed she was leaning heavily on Severus. Sarah nodded and she responded. "Lay down then, so I can look at your arm." Snape led her to the bed, allowing her to lie down, and then leaned down and took Sarah's shoes off for her. "There you go, dear. Now, let me take a look." As Poppy gently examined Sarah's arm, she tried to pull it back because it hurt. "It's ok, I can make it better, but I just need to look at it, I know it hurts, dear."

"I want my mother" Sarah whispered. Severus exchanged a look with Poppy and walked to the other side of the bed and sat next to her. "Sarah, try to hold still." He put a hand on her shoulder, and with the other, placed a hand on her head.

"I should have never tried to stir that potion" Sarah's voice cracked. "It was so stupid."

Severus didn't argue with her, because he was quite in agreement, but he didn't voice his opinion because he knew Poppy would have his head.

"We can talk about that later, Sarah." Severus said. "And believe me, we will."

"Alright, I can heal it. I'm going to heal your arm in stages with potions. The severe spot will take more than one dose. I want you to stay here for a while. I will give you something for the pain. Severus, can you get the potions and I'll help Sarah into some pajamas, please?" Severus stood up to go retrieve the potion, while Poppy carefully helped Sarah into pajamas, in which she had enlarged the sleeve, rolling it up to prevent it from touching her skin. "Why don't you get in under the covers so you can rest your head on the pillow?" Sarah complied and Severus came back handing Poppy the burn potion in which she gently rubbed the orange paste on her arm and bandaged it to protect it. Severus handed her a glass. "Drink this, Sarah." He commanded, helping her sit up to drink it. Sarah then sunk back down, suddenly exhausted. "Thank you Madam Pomfrey."

"You're welcome, Sarah." Poppy smiled at her, giving her head a pat.

"Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked. "You aren't still mad at me are you?"

"It is not a matter of me being mad at you. You will be redoing that potion until you get it right, Sarah. And of course, lose 20 points from Gryffindor"

Sarah groaned and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "But are you still mad at me?"

"No, of course not. Get some sleep, Sarah" Severus said, trying to be reassuring, but for the first time, Sarah didn't quite believe him.

--

"Albus, do you know where I have been?" Severus sat down wearily in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"I can't imagine. Teaching, perhaps?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Lemon drop?"

"No, thank you" Severus said shortly. "I should have been, but I was too busy taking my niece to the hospital wing."

Dumbledore frowned. "Is she alright?"

"She will be. She tried to stir an overflowing potion!" Severus folded his arms. "Of all the foolish things for her to do! She burned her arm pretty badly."

"So, you stopped class to take her to the hospital wing." Dumbledore tried to hide a smile at the hint of softness from his supposedly cold hearted Potions Master.

Severus harrumphed. "She wouldn't go without me. How could a child who is so gifted in charms and defense, be so horrible at Potions?"

Dumbledore gazed at him seriously. "I know this is hard for you, Severus, but potions may not be Sarah's strength."

"But she can produce a shield spell at her age!" Severus argued. "She should have some aptitude for potions."

"You often tell complaining parents that they are two different types of skills and a child who does well in one subject area may not have the same ability when it comes to potions." Dumbledore pointed out gently.

Severus scowled. "But she is my niece! And her mother was gifted at the subject as well!"

"But Sarah's father was not. In fact, I remember him being quite dreadful at it"

"What are you saying, Albus? That Sarah is more like Sirius Black than me or her mother?"

"Severus" Dumbledore chided. "It doesn't mean that Sarah is more like Sirius than you or Gracie. It just means that perhaps, this is not where her talents lie. Anyway, it is much too soon to tell. There is a chance that when she becomes a little less impulsive, she will become better at it."

"She is too impulsive and stubborn" Severus admitted. "Her behavior leaves a lot to be desired."

Dumbledore fought another smile. "I personally think she is a sweet child."

"Undoubtedly, when she is not wreaking havoc with the Weasley twins." Severus said dryly.

"Do you mean to tell me that you are still upset about what you suspect happened with Filch?"

"She lied to me, Albus!" Severus shook his head. "She better be thankful that I never caught her out of her bed. But it is only a matter of time."

Albus stood up. "And when that time comes, I have every confidence that you will handle that situation. But in the meantime, I would give the child the benefit of the doubt. And stop pushing her so much with her potions study."

Severus followed suit and stood. "She will learn potions Albus. I will see to that."

Dumbledore shook his head wearily. And Severus wondered where she got her stubbornness from!

--

April was a dreary month. Exams were upcoming and the atmosphere at Hogwarts was tense. Sarah was sure that she would fail potions and that her uncle would be disappointed in her. It caused her to frantically study even harder for her exams. Needless to say, the foursome spent a lot of time in the library. Desperate for a break Sarah, Ron, Hermione, and Harry decided to pay a visit to Hagrid to see if they could get more information about the Sorcerer's Stone. Hagrid would only tell them that it was being protected and he shouldn't talk about it. They were sure he was hiding something, though they were unsure what it could be.

But it was there that they found out the truth. Hagrid had a dragon- an illegal dragon! The four decided that they needed to do something to help him because it was clear that Hagrid was over his head. Ron came up with the brilliant idea to owl his brother, who worked with dragons. Charlie responded that friends of his would pick up Norbert at the astronomy tower at midnight in three days. Unfortunately, while helping Hagrid feed Norbert, Ron got bit and had to spend the day in the hospital ward. That left Sarah, Harry, and Hermione to go under the invisibility cloak to deliver Norbert. The delivery went off without a hitch and it was a lot of fun actually. That was, of course, until they got caught by their livid head of their house.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Black, you had better have a good explanation." McGonagall pursed her lips. Draco was standing next to her smiling smugly.

Looking at each other, the three realized that they had foolishly left the cloak at the top of the tower.

"Oh crap" Sarah thought. "This really sucks!"

--

"I have never…" McGonagall's tone was severe. "Who wants to be the first one to tell me what you were doing in your pajamas out of bed? And not only out of bed, but on the grounds?" She was giving them her death stare as the four students stood before her in her office. Sarah caught Harry out of the corner of her eye and he shook his head ever so slightly.

Seeing little choice, Sarah decided to try to smooth over the situation. After all, her mother often said that she had inherited her father's charm in weaseling his way out of tough situations.

"Professor McGonagall, we want to be able to tell you, but we can't. There was a reason. We just weren't doing it to break the rules." Sarah started.

Draco turned his head to stare at Sarah in amazement. He wouldn't have dared to say anything in front of McGonagall. He almost felt bad about turning her in. He had caught the four Gryffindors visiting Hagrid and saw the dragon. He followed them for a few days to figure out what they were up to. When he found out they were sneaking out on the grounds in the middle of the night, the temptation to get at Potter was too strong even if it meant getting Black in trouble. Granger he could care less about.

McGonagall huffed. "So you say. I'll give you one more opportunity to tell me the truth."

Sarah closed her mouth tightly and Harry and Hermione did the same.

McGonagall crossed her arms. "I expected better from the three of you. You _each_ have lost Gryffindor fifty points."

Sarah's eyes grew wide. "Fifty points…" she mumbled.

"But professor…" Harry protested.

"Gryffindor…" Hermione argued.

The three students protested but McGonagall remained firm.

"I don't care whose house you are in." she held up a silencing hand. "In addition, all four of you will earn detention"

"But professor, I don't think I heard you correctly. I thought you said all four." Draco said innocently.

"Oh, you heard me correctly Mr. Malfoy. You were after all, out of bed as well."

Draco huffed and Sarah snickered. Harry elbowed her and McGonagall gave her another severe look.

"I will also be writing your parents or guardians" McGonagall informed them.

At this proclamation, all of the color drained from Sarah's face and she shook slightly. "Surely, McGonagall wouldn't tell Snape on me. I have already earned detention and lost fifty points! He's going to be so angry with me. I don't want him to know this. He can't know this!" Sarah thought, panicking.

Noticing that she was being watched, she quickly tried to control her emotions but to no avail.

McGonagall looked at the trembling child and her demeanor softened slightly.

"Harry, I will be writing to the Dursleys and Hermione to your parents and yes, Sarah, Professor Snape will find out about this."

Sarah couldn't hold back the tears. "But he hates me already!"

McGonagall was shocked. She was under the impression that Sarah and Severus were growing closer and she knew that Severus adored his sister's little girl. When he mentioned her, his eyes would light up ever so slightly and there was always a sense of pride.

She turned to the other three children. "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, please go straight back to dorm rooms. If you take any detours, rest assured that you will triple your punishment. "She eyed them sternly. "Miss Black, you stay here."

Shooting Sarah sympathetic looks, the three of them left.

"Sit down child" McGonagall pointed to a chair and Minerva sat down on the other side of her desk and folded her hands in front of her.

"Now, what would give you the idea that your uncle hates you?" Minerva asked her student.

Sarah sniffed. "Because I'm stupid!"

Minerva was even more surprised. Sarah Black was one of her most gifted pupils. She had loads of talent, if only she would maybe apply herself more.

"No, you aren't" Minerva said firmly. "Sarah Black, you may be many things, but stupid is _not_ one of them."

"I am in potions." Sarah's voice cracked. "Uncle Sev doesn't understand. I do try."

Minerva walked around and put an arm around the young Gryffindor.

"I understand how your uncle might get frustrated with you but that doesn't mean he hates you. I don't believe for a minute that he does. As for what happened tonight, he is going to find out one way or the other- from me, from you, or from your classmates talking about. Now think, Sarah. How would Professor Snape react if he heard about your behavior because he overheard some of your classmates talking?"

Sarah was silent for a moment and looked down at her hands. "Are you going to tell him Professor McGonagall?" She asked quietly.

McGonagall eyed her sternly, "No, child. You are."

Tears started falling from her face. "He is going to be so angry. I really screwed up."

"Even so, he still won't hate you." Minerva said gently as she rose. "But you do need to take responsibility for your actions."

"I don't know what he is going to do."

Minerva patted her shoulder, "Let's go find out"

**A/N 2**: Ok, so I need some feedback. How do you think Severus should handle the situation? What do you think he should do? Please let me know what you think. I hope you are still enjoying the story! :)


	17. Trouble

**Disclaimer: **Again, I don't own it. Never have, never will…

**A/N**: Thank you so much for your reviews, encouragement and suggestions. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I really was stuck, but I think it is fitting because I feel that reflects the tone of this chapter. Anyways, I had to break it up into two chapters because it had the potential to get out of control…let me know what you think and I will try to update the next chapter soon.

**Chapter 17: Trouble**

Severus glanced at the clock, flopping down in his chair. _1:00 am_. Sighing, he leaned back and stretched, placing his feet on the ottoman in front of him. He was exhausted. Not a simple tiredness from lack of sleep, but every muscle of his ached from a deeply embedded weariness. Between the _endless_ pile of parchment to grade, lessons to plan, stupid brats causing trouble, Severus wasn't sure he could take much more. It always escalated this time of year. The kids grow increasingly restless and with that, Severus's job becomes substantially more difficult. His evening started off with a visit from Draco, who was enraged that McGonagall docked points in Transfiguration for a behavior that Sarah had done two minutes before and gotten away with. On top of that, Draco received a poor grade on his essay. It took several attempts to calm him down and convince him that it would be unwise to start an outright revolt against the Gryffindor head of house. Slytherins were better than that. If that wasn't enough, he caught the Weasley twins releasing dung bombs on the third floor. With that situation, he was only glad that Sarah wasn't a part of it. Afterwards, he returned to his quarters, graded a few papers, before he patrolling the halls once again. After an hour of that, he was satisfied that his Slytherin students were not going to venture out of bed, and went back to his quarters.

Severus knew he should get up and go to bed, but he wasn't sure he could move at this point. He was just thinking how glad he was that the day was finally over when he heard a knock on his door. Severus closed his eyes and groaned, before hoisting himself up.

"Agh…" Severus grunted. "What now?" he mumbled as he flung open the door.

He was surprised, but not necessarily shocked to come face to face with Minerva McGonagall holding the arm of Sarah. Narrowing his eyes, he studied his niece. She was in her maroon pajamas and her hair was slightly coming out of her braids. She was tugging at them which, in his opinion, did not bode well. He noticed with interest that she was trembling slightly, her face faintly flushed and she outright refused to meet his stern gaze.

"You have got to be kidding me. She picked this night of all nights" Severus thought with a groan as he opened the door to let them come in. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was going to be an even longer night.

--

McGonagall was the first to address Severus. "Sarah has something she needs to tell you. I just wanted to accompany her here. When you are done, can you please escort her back to her dorm room?"

Severus watched the two of them with his black eyes, trying to ascertain the situation. He was pretty sure that McGonagall caught Sarah out of bed, but Sarah was stepping even closer to McGonagall. "Can't you stay?" She whispered, pleading with her head of house knowing that her uncle would not dare outright lose his temper with McGonagall standing there next to her.

Severus raised his eyebrow at the question. "Was the child really that afraid of him?" He thought.

"No." Minerva shook her head sadly. "This is something between you and your uncle. Severus?" Minerva beckoned to him and he walked her to the door.

"It's serious." Minerva whispered discreetly. There was an edge to her voice as she remembered the events of the night. She shook her head in dismay. "I still can't believe these children would be so foolish."

Severus sighed wearily, accepting Minerva's judgment. While he often disagreed with her, he knew that she wasn't one to mince words. If Minerva said it was serious, he was sure that Sarah and he would be in for a long discussion. "Can I have her stay the night? I'm unsure that we will have time to deal with all we have to deal with tonight"

Minerva nodded. "That might be a good idea. She is exhausted and not thinking rationally. We have already had several tears tonight." Minerva put a hand on his arm, "Remember Severus, she needs your discipline, but she also needs your love and acceptance. I wish you luck. I fear you will need it" She shook her head once again in Sarah's direction, before walking out the door.

Severus shut the door behind her and stood there with his hand on the doorknob. He took a few moments so he was certain that he was calm before he turned around to face his niece. Walking over to his chair, he sat down.

Pointing to the ottoman in front of him, he addressed his niece. "Sit Sarah, _right now_."

Sarah quickly obeyed, careful to avoid her uncle's eyes. Usually she sat across the room, but sitting on the ottoman, there was hardly any distance between her and Snape. This made it more difficult to face him. Looking down at her hands, Sarah knew she had to tell him the truth, but she didn't know if she would have the courage to do so.

"Dumb sorting hat, why did it ever put me in Gryffindor?" Sarah thought. "I don't belong there." Agitated, the child began tugging forcefully at her braid practically undoing the whole thing.

Severus leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "Stop it" he commanded, holding it tight before releasing it. Sarah dropped her hands, twisting them in her shirt.

He had hoped that in the few minutes of silence, Sarah would have begun the conversation taking responsibility for whatever lapses in judgment occurred tonight. Now, he saw that he must take the lead.

"This would be much easier on both of us if you would just tell me what you did. And then we'll deal with it whatever it is" Severus's tone and eyes commanded her obedience and respect, but still Sarah was unsure she could come clean with it. She knew that it would open the door to many unwanted conversations.

"Sarah Grace Black, I will take you to Professor McGonagall right now and let her tell me what you did." Severus glared at her. "But I assure you, if that happens, you will not like the results. For once in your life, take responsibility for your actions!"

Stomach sinking, Sarah knew that she was caught. Taking a deep breath, she began, "I sort of… well…I sort of…well, I definitely…" Sarah bit her lip before continuing, "I got caught…"

"Go on…" Severus growled and Sarah reached for her braid, but one glance at Severus's harsh glare caused her to drop her hand again, twisting them once again underneath the end of her shirt.

"Well, Harry, Hermione and I got caught past curfew on the grounds." Sarah said in one breath and then closed her eyes and waited for the storm.

Severus couldn't hide the shock as his mind tried to wrap around Sarah's last statement. "Open your eyes. What do you mean on the grounds?"

Sarah wiggled in her seat. This whole conversation was quite uncomfortable. "We sort of snuck outside to…um, do _somethin_g and got caught….sir" She added the sir as an afterthought, wondering if being completely respectful might help quench his inevitable anger.

Severus's felt his heart pound and he clenched his fists in anger. He couldn't believe that she would put her life in danger with such carelessness.

His voice was like steel as he replied, "Do you have any concept of how _dangerous_ it is on the grounds at night? Especially for a bunch of first years!" He rose to pace around the room, agitated. "You can honestly not tell me, Sarah, that you were so foolish to do something so utterly…_stupid_"

"I wasn't stupid" Sarah jumped up. "We were just in the astronomy tower, not really on the grounds…it is safe."

Severus whipped around. "Are you telling me that the astronomy tower is not on the grounds?"

Sarah sighed. "No, I didn't mean that…"

"And" Severus continued, "what, pray tell is located several meters away from the tower?" He asked the question as if he was the prosecuting attorney, trapping his witness. "Actually meters from any part of the castle?"

Sarah stared at him quizzically and Severus inclined his head in warning that she better start thinking immediately. She racked her brain for what he could be referring to and then she knew. Her eyes grew wide. "The forbidden forest…" She whispered. "But it is on the grounds. It's not like we went into the forest. I wouldn't do that."

"How can I be sure of that, Black?" Severus demanded. "If you were foolish enough to go out on the grounds at night, how do I know that next time, it won't be the forbidden forest?"

"Because I'm telling you, sir." Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "I didn't even think about that."

Severus shook his head, sitting back down and gesturing for her to sit as well. "Unfortunately, your word has proven not to be of much worth. To what extent, we will find more about that later. But we are digressing. What were you doing?"

"I can't tell you sir" Sarah shifted in her seat. Severus's eyes narrowed at her refusal.

" You _can_, but you won't. Do you even comprehend how much trouble you are in right now? I would suggest that you tell me the truth and that you tell me the truth _right now_."

At Sarah's silence, Severus's anger increased as he questioned further. "Who are you protecting Black? Potter? Granger? A Weasley?" He continued to rattle off a list of names.

Sarah shook her head. "No"

Severus's tone remained harsh. "Well, _surely_, you had to be protecting someone if you won't tell me what you were doing."

Sarah nodded but remained silent.

"So be it." Severus growled. He was aware that his niece was stubborn and fiercely loyal. It was futile to try to get her to confess and it was only serving to increase his frustration. In fact, he was barely containing his anger. He knew Sarah was aware of that.

"I want you to go to your room. Change your pajamas; they are wet from being outside in the dampness. Make sure you brush your teeth and wash your face. I'll be in there in a few minutes and then we will talk." Severus was trying to buy himself some time to decide how he was going to handle the situation and to get his anger under control. During the course of the last 10 minutes talking to Sarah, he had to bite back comments about Sarah being just like her wretched father. He needed to be in control, because undoubtedly during this conversation, Sarah would fall to pieces.

"Sir, I've already been punished." Sarah protested as she rose.

"Black. Now is not the time. Go. Now." Severus snarled.

Disheartened, Sarah slowly walked to her room, taking one look back at her uncle who had plopped back into his chair, had closed his eyes and was taking deep breaths. She didn't think that was a good sign.

--

After doing what her Uncle Sev commanded, Sarah was sitting on her bed, ferociously trying to undo her braids. Her black hair was in tangles and every tug made it worse.

"Just like me" Sarah thought glumly. "I always make things worse. Uncle Sev already hates me because I can't do potions. Now he will especially hate me. If only we hadn't been so careless at the top of the astronomy tower! None of this would have happened!" She sniffled as she started to cry once more. She was so tired. She just wanted to go to bed and forget all of this happened. Uncle Sev was angry, she knew that. And he did think she was stupid. He said so himself. He was right. She is stupid.

Tears rolled down Sarah's face as she pulled her braids. It hurt, but she refused to stop as she worked her hair into knots.

It was then she heard a knock. "GO AWAY" Sarah's thoughts screamed but she managed a subdued "come in"

Her uncle entered the room looking just as stern as ever. His robes billowed and his eyes were cold.

At Snape's appearance, Sarah's pulling increased in fervor.

Severus took one look at his niece and any residual anger instantly faded. She looked so lost and helpless sitting on the bed, tangling her hair. He had to double his resolve because as childish as his niece looked, he had to address the rule breaking. If Sarah was ever going to survive against the Dark Lord, she had to learn to make good choices and not needlessly put herself in danger. "But she is still so young" Severus thought.

Severus chided himself. "That's not an excuse. When did you become so soft Snape?" he thought. This awakened him to the task before him.

Severus frowned at Sarah. "I thought I told you to stop pulling at your braid. Can't you follow simple instructions?" He forced the edge to still remain in his voice, so Sarah felt his disapproval keenly.

Sarah didn't say anything, but the tugging ceased immediately. Walking over to the bed where Sarah was seated, he sat beside her, turning her around so her back was to him and gently tried to undo the braids.

"Didn't you see that you were making the tangles worse?" He rebuked.

Sarah remained silent, but fidgeted slightly with the hem of her pajama bottoms, crossing her legs on her bed.

"Accio brush" Severus said and the hair brush came floating. He carefully began to work through the tangles. He verbally ignored Sarah's winces, but in response made his efforts a tad gentler.

"You have your mother's hair." Severus remarked, breaking the silence.

"How did you learn how to do this?" Sarah asked softly. Severus took note of the insecurity in her voice and realized how cautiously he must proceed.

"Your mother. Growing up, Grace and I didn't have the best parents. They were too busy fighting to take care of us. I was the one who had to undo Grace's tangles at night."

"You took care of her growing up?" Sarah asked with interest.

"Yes, much like I'm taking care of you now. There, all done." Severus then again turned his niece around on the bed, this time to face him.

"Now, that I have ensured that you haven't pulled out all your hair, about your behavior young lady…." He began, placing one hand on each of her knees.

"I _really_ am sorry Uncle Sev!" Sarah interrupted, her eyes pleading with him to believe her. "Please, believe me. I'll never ever do it again Uncle Sev. Ever."

"Sarah, I believe you are sorry, but are you sorry for sneaking out, or sorry for being caught?" Severus's voice compelled Sarah to tell the truth.

"Being caught." She said, "I know I should be sorry for what I did, but I did have a good reason."

Sarah looked down at the bedspread. The quilt had pink flowers and she traced circles around the pattern. Uncle Sev had gotten it for her when he had taken up her guardianship. He thought the green and gold one that had been there before was a little too masculine and yes, a little too Slytherian as well. She was surprised at the time that he would notice that, but she now realized that he knew things like that because he had taken care of her mum growing up.

"Look up please."

Sarah slowly raised her chin and Severus continued.

"Could you have made other choices?" he asked unyielding to Sarah's distress.

"This was the only one." Sarah said confidently.

"_Really_? Because I believe that you could have come to me and I could have helped with whatever it was. Or Headmaster Dumbledore. Or Professor McGonagall. We could have helped you make a decision- one that would have allowed you to stay _indoors_ after curfew." Severus paused and then asked the tough question with a growl,

"Was this the first time or just the first time getting caught?"

"First time?" Sarah asked hesitantly remembering her and Harry's adventure to the library at night as well as her adventure with Fred Weasley, as she absently curled a finger around the ends of her newly brushed hair.

"First time sneaking out past curfew including wandering in the halls" Severus clarified.

Sarah shook her head slowly, guilt starting to rise in her. She had been so excited to sneak out the first time and so thankful that she hadn't been caught. But now she was paying for it.

"How many times?" Severus prompted.

"Twice." Sarah bit her lip.

"I see." Severus said letting Sarah note his disappointment. "I'm disappointed Sarah. You know better. Let's discuss the first time, shall we?" He watched the guilt in his niece's eyes rising. "What were you doing?"

"Visiting the restricted section of the library." Sarah said, annoyed at herself that she couldn't lie to her uncle right now. She dropped her head unable to look at him.

"WHAT? WHY?"

Sarah shook her head, eyes firmly on the pink flowers of her bedspread. They were really quite pretty.

"Alright, Sarah. We have all night for you to tell me. But you are _not_ leaving this room until I know the truth. _Why_ were you visiting the _restricted_ section of the library?"

Sarah began crying softly. She knew Severus was disappointed with her and would be even more so when knowing her reason. "To search for information on Nicolas Flamel" she said so softly that he could barely make out the words.

Astonished at her blatant disobeyal, Severus raised her chin with his hand and held it secure forcing her to look at him. "You did this after I told you not to, young lady?"

Sarah never realized how much her mom and uncle had the same eyes- dark and black like coal. But her mom's always held warmth even when she was stern. All she saw in Severus's eyes was disappointment.

"yes sir." She whispered.

"Sarah Grace Black!" Severus scowled at her. "You don't _ever_ disobey me! Do you understand? When I say to do something, you do it. When I say not to do something, you don't do it. It's as simple as that. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir" Sarah said, heart sinking. She was just giving him more reasons to hate her.

"The other time?" Severus prompted, reaching out his hand to grasp her shoulder.

Sarah's stomach dropped as she had to fight nausea. "Filch's office…" She whispered, all color draining from her face.

"You lied to me." Severus gave her a measured look. "I asked you and _you lied to me_."

Sarah hopped off of her bed. "But_ I couldn't tell you the truth_."

Severus studied her from his perch on her bed. "Sarah Grace Black, you can always tell me the truth. You _choose_ not to"

Sarah shook her head, beginning to sob. "I can't. I can't be perfect." Sarah sobbed. "You always think that everything I do is wrong so why should I even try?"

"You lying to me isn't wrong? You blatantly disobeying isn't wrong?" Severus asked, shaking his head in disapproval. "It would be wrong even to the most lenient parents. I don't expect you to be perfect, but time and time again, you act without _any_ regard to the rules. Whether it is impulsively trying to fix your mistakes and burning yourself or sneaking out to do Merlin knows what, you take absolutely no responsibility for your actions. Maybe your mother turned the other way to this behavior, but I refuse to do so!" Severus rose and took a step towards her, reaching for her, but Sarah backed up, hitting the wall with her back.

Severus started, staring at her. "The child really is terrified of me. I know I use intimidation often, but this is something more." He thought.

"What is going on with you?" Severus asked. "I know you are frightened because you are in trouble and you have never been in serious trouble before with me as your guardian, but…what is going on with you?" For the first time that night, Sarah saw warmth in his black eyes, filled with concern, but she was tired and when she was tired all rational thought left her.

"You hate me!" Sarah blurted out between sobs. "You always have. Now you just have a reason to!" Sarah shot around Severus and curled up on her bed, burying her face in the bedspread.

Severus was aghast as he sat back down next to her on the bed. "Is this because you are in trouble?" He asked incredulously, wondering if she was trying to get out of punishment.

"No!" Sarah raised her head to yell. "I deserve to be in trouble. I am stupid. I can't do anything right. You should ground me. Or spank me like people do little stupid children. Or lock me up and throw away the key. Just don't hate me anymore!"

"Sarah, I know you are tired, but do not yell at me." Severus warned and Sarah dropped her head into the bedspread once again.

"See, I can't do anything right" She groaned, crying hysterically facedown on her bed.

"That's not true" Severus said firmly. "We are getting nowhere. You are right. You do deserve to get punished and trust me, you will be, but not when you are like this. You are going to go to bed and in the morning, you and I are going to continue this conversation when it is not almost 2:00 in the morning. Let's just calm down and we will talk about it later. And for the record, Sarah Grace" Severus reached over to pick her up and while Sarah fought at first, he pulled her into an embrace. "I don't hate you. I never have and I never will." Sarah buried her face in his chest as Severus rubbed her back.

"Everything seems so horrible now Uncle Sev. I'm soo tired." Sarah cried. "I keep messing up so bad and _I can't fix it_."

"I know Sarah. We will fix it together. Let's get you into bed." He tenderly picked her up off the bed and still holding her, leaned down to pull back her covers. He carefully put her in bed and pulled up the covers wrapping them around her. Sarah was sobbing in her pillow as Severus sat down next to her and rubbed her back talking soothingly.

"It's been a long day. Just go to sleep."

"But, I'm in trouble" Sarah sobbed.

"Yes" Severus responded. "You are. But you will not be in trouble forever. We will talk about it in the morning when you aren't so tired and emotional. We will decide your punishment and then it will be over."

"It will be fixed?" Sarah turned her head to look at her uncle. "You won't be mad anymore?"

"Indeed" Severus said. "Until you do something equally as bad."

"I won't" Sarah promised.

"I should hope not. Now go to sleep" Severus continued to rub her back.

Sarah let herself relax under his gentle touch and her eyes began to droop as exhausted she rolled off to sleep.

Severus looked down at his sleeping niece, tears staining her red face. He tenderly brushed away the hair that was plastered to her face and kissed her head before heading off to his own bed. He knew their talk was far from over. It had been delayed for too long as it was.


	18. Memories

**A/N: **Sorry this has taken me so long to update. The combination of the end of the school year and moving made it difficult. Please let me know what you think. Click review and drop me a few words. I need some encouragement. :)

**Disclaimer: **Don't own- Rowling does.

**Previously on: **_Severus looked down at his sleeping niece, tears staining her red face. He tenderly brushed away the hair that was plastered to her face and kissed her head before heading off to his own bed. He knew their talk was far from over. It had been delayed for too long as it was._

**Chapter 18-Memories**

"And then she said I hate her! I don't understand where she could have possibly gotten that idea from!" Severus sunk down further in his chair, scowling at the pointed look Albus was giving him. The look in which Albus said without saying it- in his opinion, he had given Sarah plenty of reasons to think that he hated her and not enough reasons to think he didn't.

"She deserved every harsh statement, you must know that" Severus argued defensively.

Still, Albus looked at him.

"The child is out of control. She needs boundaries and someone to give them to her. As her guardian, it is my job."

"No" Albus stood and walked over to stand by his chair, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"No?" Severus asked incredulously.

"Well, yes, and no" Albus responded patiently. "Yes, she needs boundaries and certainly the child deserves some sort of punishment for her behavior. That is your job as her guardian. But perhaps, more importantly, it is your job as Sarah's guardian to understand the underlying causes for this behavior."

"_I'm trying to_!" Severus groaned. "I don't know where to begin. There are endless possibilities."

"Begin, Severus, by asking your niece. Perhaps she doesn't know the reasons herself, but maybe she does." Albus responded. "In the meantime, I believe I will have breakfast with you and Sarah this morning."

"Are you inviting yourself to breakfast, Headmaster?" Severus smirked.

"Yes, I believe I am. Of course, don't wake up the child early on my behalf. Let her sleep. Otherwise, you will probably get nothing accomplished today." Albus suggested. "And arrange for her to miss her classes. You can catch her up on the work and I will cover your classes today."

Severus looked horrified, but then after a moment of internal struggling responded, "I think you might be right, Albus. Merlin, this is one conversation, I am not looking forward to having."

Albus grinned. "Those often end up being the best kind to have."

--

Sarah woke up with a groan, rolling over to look at the clock. She blinked several times as her eyes tried to make out the time. _10:07_.

"What?" Sarah shot up out of bed. "Oh no, no, NO!" She moaned, flinging the covers back over the bed, hastily trying to make it.

She was late for classes! She vaguely remembered that she didn't have any clothes at Snape's and she would need to go back to the dorm room to change. Running out of her room, she ran smack into Severus and nearly fell backwards from the impact of their collision.

He reached out to prevent her from falling, holding her steady. "Easy there. Slow down."

"_I'm late_!" Sarah grabbed his arm, trying to pull herself away from his grasp. "I'm missing all my classes and it's so close to exams. I have to go!" Sarah looked at him frantically, tears clouding her vision. "You have to let me go!"

"_Calm down_." Severus tightened his grip on her. "I talked to the Headmaster this morning. He is coming for breakfast, even though it's closer to lunch. I was just about to wake you. I cancelled my classes and talked with your professors. I'll make you up on the work you miss today. I thought it would be better for you and me to spend some time together."

Sarah's jaw dropped. "What? Uncle Sev, you _never_ cancel classes! And you would _never_ let me skip!" It was then Sarah remembered the events of last night and color rushed to her face. "Oh, yeah" she whispered.

Severus chuckled at her comment but then stopped when he noticed her face redden. Apparently in her panic, she forgot the events of last night.

Severus gently patted her head. "Yes, young lady, we still have to deal with your behavior."

Sarah nodded, resigned. "But why would you cancel classes? Why not make me go and then come back here?"

"Because Sarah Grace, you and I also need to have a talk about what you said to me last night." He responded as Sarah tensed up and backed away from him, an act that did not go unnoticed. "But not this moment; you need to shower and get dressed. There are some clean clothes in the bathroom that I retrieved from your room. I didn't bring your robes. You don't need to wear them if we are just staying in here. Go shower and get dressed. Make sure you dry your hair. I brought your wand." Severus reached into his pockets to hand her wand. "Do you remember the spell I taught you to dry your hair?"

"Yes, sir." Sarah took her wand from his outstretched hand. "Thank you."

"Ok, when you are done getting ready come into the living room. Professor Dumbledore should be here in a few minutes so make sure you don't linger." Severus patted her shoulder and pushed her back towards her room.

"Yes sir" Sarah mumbled as she made her way back to her room.

--

Sarah tugged at her long sleeve pink top. Though it was close to summer, it was still cool. She was nervous that the Headmaster was coming to breakfast. Her hair, dried, was pulled back in a pony tail and she put in the pink ribbon that her uncle had laid out for her. That amused her that Uncle Sev would think to find a ribbon that matched her top. As she approached the living room/dining room, she stopped aware of the Headmaster and her Uncle talking in low tones.

Severus looked up and gestured for her to come in. He said something else quietly to Dumbledore as Sarah approached the table and took her usual seat to the left of Severus. She kicked her feet nervously under the table.

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Good Morning Miss Black. I hope you aren't speechless on my account."

Sarah smiled sheepishly back at him. "I'm sorry sir. I'm trying to have good manners. I've been told that children should not speak unless spoken to" She cast a mischievous look towards her Uncle Sev.

Dumbledore chucked, "Ahh, I see. Well, please don't behave on my account."

"Don't encourage her Headmaster." He passed a plate of food to him, then Sarah. "Let's eat."

Dumbledore took a bite of food and then addressed Sarah, "Well, Miss Black, you would be pleased to know that I got accosted by no less than four of your friends demanding to know where you were. Fred Weasley was especially adamant. He seemed to be under the impression that your uncle was holding you hostage."

Severus snorted.

"I assured them that you were perfectly safe with Professor Snape. Mr. Weasley threatened to turn my beard orange before Professor McGonagall shooed them away. I always did wonder what my beard would look like orange. I do wish he would have tried but alas I guess it will remain one of life's great mysteries."

Sarah looked at him shocked while Severus tried not to spit out the water he was drinking.

"You could try it yourself sir" Sarah suggested with a grin.

"Black!" Severus rolled his eyes, "I should have known the two of you at breakfast would be a bad combination. Eat your fruit."

"Sorry sir" Sarah replied though the adults could tell she wasn't sorry in the least. She took a bite of some grapes before asking, "Professor Dumbledore, are Harry and Hermione alright?"

Albus's eyes twinkled. There was something wonderfully beautiful about the friendships of children. Then his face became sober.

"Indeed, they are fine. However, their house does seem a little put out by them."

Sarah frowned, "They are mad about the loss of points. They probably aren't talking with them. They are going to be mad at me too." Sarah sighed. "I'm already in trouble with Uncle Sev the way it is and now everyone else is going to mad at me too!"

Severus reached over and patted her arm, "I told you last night that we would fix it together, Sarah. As for your classmates, they will get over it- especially when you begin to win back points in your classes."

Albus looked at them both, "And just think, Miss Black. You just made your Uncle Sev happy that his house will have a better chance of winning the House cup"

Sarah chuckled at his joke (for they all know Professor Dumbledore was making a joke and not condoning her behavior) while Severus huffed, "Albus, really."

"Professor Dumbledore, do you think…" Sarah started.

"Black, more eating and less talking!"

"But Uncle Sev, I _never_ get to talk with Professor Dumbledore." Sarah argued. While she was at first shy when she sat down at the table, Professor Dumbledore was wonderfully funny and strange.

"Indeed, Severus, let the child talk. I don't ever get to have such delightful conversation at our head table in the Great Hall. Just between you and me, your uncle Severus is a little boring, child."

"Boring, Albus? Hardly!"

Albus laughed. "Tell me Sarah, are you enjoying your first year?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically. "Everything is just so fun…I mean _ed-u-cational_." Sarah corrected herself. She didn't want to let her Uncle into all the fun she had besides the kind he found out yesterday.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again as he observed Sarah give Severus a quick look.

"It's ok, Black. You can tell Professor Dumbledore how much you avoid studying."

"No, I _do_ study. Harry, Hermione, Ron and I just have fun too." Sarah explained.

"Your uncle tells me that you are especially good at charms and defense." Albus commented.

"He did?" Sarah smiled, her whole face lighting up. She was glad that her uncle found favor in some thing she did. Severus forgot how bright the child's smile could be and how it made her look just like Gracie. In that moment, he wished that Sarah would have more reason to smile.

"I do love both of those although I wish it was more practical. The only subject I really can't do well is potions." Sarah's face fell into a worried frown and Severus glanced at Albus quickly. This only seemed to confirm their suspicions about her feelings.

"Give it time, Sarah. I bet with some practice you can be just proficient as your Uncle. And I'm sure your potions master is patient and encouraging." Albus laughed.

Sarah snickered, "Hardly"

"You do realize I'm sitting right here." Severus glared at her. Sarah promptly turned her head to return his glare with a glare of her own.

Albus threw back his head and laughed at the scene before him. "I have never seen anyone who could match Professor Snape glare for glare. Many have tried to imitate, but I think your genes give you an unfair advantage. And nobody would do so in front of his face. Now I know why the hat put you in Gryffindor, Miss Black. Even you have to admit, Severus, the child has nerve." He pushed back his plate. The others had finished just before him.

"Well, this has been truly enjoyable. Thank you so much Severus for inviting me for breakfast. I must be off to check on things. I do have a school to run." Dumbledore joked as he stood up.

Severus and Sarah walked him to the door. Dumbledore gripped Sarah shoulders, "You know Sarah, I have only seen your Uncle Severus act this way towards a few people in his life. Be kind to him and hear what he has to say with an open mind. Do you think you could do that child?"

Sarah nodded. "I think I can sir"

Albus smiled, "A delightful child." Severus rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that hour though secretly he agreed that his Sarah Grace was pretty wonderful.

--

After Dumbledore left, Severus walked back and sat down on the couch. Extending a finger, he gestured for her to come to him and patted the seat next to him. Sarah plopped down and reached back to grab the quilt that was draped across the back of the couch. Wrapping it around her, she took in the scent. It still smelled like her mother. After the funeral, Severus had taken several items with him- one including the quilt. While it looked funny in Severus's masculine quarters, it reminded him of his sister and Sarah loved to use the quilt as a blanket if she was cold.

Severus frowned and asked, "Are you cold?"

Sarah nodded and Severus reached over to feel her forehead with the back of his hand. "You may have gotten chilled outside last night. Here wait a minute." Severus walked over to his potions cabinet to pull out another vial. He conjured a spoon and poured the liquid in the spoon.

"Open" he commanded.

Sarah wrinkled her nose, but obeyed and swallowed the nasty liquid.

"Good girl" Severus laughed at her expression. "Alright, lets talk" as he laid aside the spoon and medicine.

"Yes sir" Sarah twisted her hands nervously. Severus's face had become sterner and Sarah fought the urge to scoot further away from him on the couch.

"Do you understand that what you did was wrong?" Severus asked and at Sarah's nod, continued. "Why?"

"Because it broke the rules" Sarah replied in a small voice.

"Yes, yes, of course" Severus waved his hand impatiently. "But why are the rules in place, Sarah?"

"To make me miserable" Sarah muttered under her breath, annoyed at her uncle's impatience and in response, Severus glared.

"Watch your tone, young lady" Severus warned. "You know full well, it's not just to make you miserable, stop being surly." Severus inclined his head and waited, raising an eyebrow.

Sarah took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, sir." Sarah said quietly. "I suppose the correct answer is to keep me safe."

"Indeed" Severus studied her carefully. He realized that she didn't become disrespectful until he became impatient. He vowed to be more careful. "So, you do understand why there needs to be some consequences."

Sarah nodded, lip trembling.

"I know you have detention with Professor McGonagall, but in addition, I feel that three weeks grounding would not be unwarranted. On top of that, you will owe me lines as well as certain chores. And you and I will come up together with a plan so when you misbehave, the consequences would be clear. I think my expectations of your behavior were clear, however, the consequences were not. You are old enough for us to have a conversation about that and decide that together. That way there would be no question as to fairness."

Sarah sighed. "So, that would mean that I am grounded until" she paused, calculating the math in her head. "the last day of finals. Will I be able to have meals with my friends? Or study groups?"

"For the first two weeks, no meals. The last week, yes, you may. As far as study groups, we will look at that on a case to case basis. But my first inclination, is no. You should be fine studying on your own."

Sarah swallowed hard. This was the time where she wanted to be around her friends. Instead, she was stuck with her uncle. She would be with him all summer as it was. It was hard to take. Still, she knew that it could have been a lot worse. In fact, she deserved a lot worse, and Severus and her both knew it. Her throat suddenly felt very dry as she strained not to cry.

"Uncle Sev, I'm sorry." Her chin wobbled and Severus's hand immediately reached over to squeeze her shoulder.

"I know, Sarah." He rested his hand on her shoulder, and Sarah was comforted by the gesture.

Severus cleared his throat. "Sarah, you and I need to have another conversation."

"About?"

"About what you said last night-do you really think I hate you?" Severus squeezed her shoulder.

Color rushed to her face, as Sarah snuggled further into the blanket. "Yes"

"Why do you think that?" he asked. At Sarah's worried expression, he added, "I'm not mad at you Sarah, I just want to try to understand, so we can work on it. I thought we were doing so much better."

Sarah twisted the quilt in her hands. "You're mean to me in potions. I'm trying hard and you just keep picking on me." Sarah said so softly that Severus had to strain to hear her.

"Is that all?"

"And at the beginning of the year, you couldn't stand me. I thought things had changed but then…" Sarah wiped away the tears that were in her eyes. She fought the urge to scoot across the couch and bury her head against her Uncle Sev, but since right now they were talking about how he hated her, she wasn't sure that was the best idea. "Maybe I could hide under the blanket" Sarah thought as she clutched it tighter.

Severus looked at Sarah gripping the blanket. She was so young and innocent and felt things so deeply whether it was love, anger, friendship, or hurt. Was he ever like that before Grace betrayed him and he joined Voldemort? He knew he was. He loved his sister and Lily Evans both deeply. They were his best friends before things changed drastically. Becoming a Death Eater had desensitized him from human emotion, but this year, he had to begin to feel things again. It was overwhelming how much Grace's death and the care of his niece had affected him. His heart lurched at the little girl's distress and he vowed would do his best to ease her misery.

"Sarah…I need you to listen to me and listen to me carefully. _I do not hate you_."

Sarah started to protest but stopped as Severus held up a hand and said "let me finish first"

Sarah nodded and he continued.

"I want to tell you a story. I can't tell you all of it right now but I will one day when you are older and ready to hear it. Your mother, my sister- was the most important person in my life. Growing up, it was just me and Grace fighting to survive and raise ourselves. Our parents fought a lot and one day, our father left us. He just got tired of fighting and walked away. But Grace and I promised that we would always take care of each other and we were the best of friends. Since I was older, I took more of the parenting role…"

"Like when you would untangle Mom's hair?" Sarah asked.

"Exactly. We stuck together. We were best friends. Then, we went to Hogwarts. I was a year older than your mom. I got sorted into Slytherin and I just knew your mom would too. I was counting on it."

"But she didn't" Sarah said with sympathy.

"No, she got sorted into our rival house- your house, Gryffindor. There she met James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black. They were all a year older than her, but Lily and Grace were already good friends. Lily lived in our neighborhood. While at first, Lily, Grace and I would still spend time together, things eventually changed as we got older. She was still my sister and I loved her deeply but I started being friends with what your mum thought were the wrong sorts of people. People who believed in the purity of blood."

"Like Voldemort?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, but _The Dark Lord_ was older than I was- he wasn't in school when I was. More like people like Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black- Draco's parents. Then, something terrible happened that caused your mother and me to stop talking to each other."

Sarah looked at him confused, "What could that have been?"

Severus looked ashamed. It was the first time that Sarah had ever seen her uncle vulnerable and it scared her a little.

"I called Lily Evans a bad name. That's how it started. Then, after a while your mother began dating Sirius Black."

"But why couldn't my mother forgive you? And why would her dating my father cause you guys not to talk to each other?" Sarah gave Severus another perplexed look. "My mother would have forgiven you for just saying a bad name!"

Severus sighed. "Your mother couldn't forgive me because I didn't give her the opportunity. And I hated Sirius Black and his group of friends. While your mother insisted that he had changed, all I knew is the group of boys who teased me mercilessly. The hatred between Black and myself was mutual. I thought that if your mother could date a man who did horrible things to me, then she chose him over me. Your mother didn't ever see it as a choice. But I did and I refused to speak with her. Eventually, Grace married Black and I joined the Death Eaters. After that, we were truly on opposites sides."

Sarah began to process the information Severus was feeding her. "So, is that why you hated me when I first came? Because you hated my dad?"

Severus shook his head, "I never hated you, Sarah. Your attitude more times than not reminded me of your father who I do not like. But I started to see how much of your mother is in you and more than that- you are your own person. On the contrary, I was excited to see you come to Hogwarts"

"You excited? I can't imagine that" Sarah said before adding, "I still don't understand."

"Yes, Black. I am human, I do feel excitement sometimes. I just don't show it." Severus stood up and reached for her hand pulling her up off the couch, "Come with me."

He walked her over to the fireplace. "Do you know how to use floo?"

Sarah shook her head "no".

"Just take a handful of this powder, throw it down, and say your location which in this case happens to be Dumbledore's office." Severus softly pushed her into the fireplace and opened the jar of floo powder.

"It's ok. I'm right behind you. The headmaster knows we might drop by" He assured her.

Sarah followed directions and suddenly she was in the headmaster's office. Dumbledore was no where to be seen, but Sarah did see Fawkes, the phoenix. True to his word, Snape appeared right behind her.

He led her to what looked like a big basin. "This is a pensieve. It stores memories and allows others to see your memories. I want to share some of my memories with you." He pulled out a vial and poured it into the basin.

"You have to trust me Sarah. Can you do that?"

"I think so."

Snape gently pushed her face into the basin and all the sudden she was tumbling down, down, down.

Sarah found herself in a house- a dark house. There was only a thin beam of light coming from the window. The walls were painted grey with a dark green trim. Sarah struggled to adjust her eyes to the dim light. As she did, she saw that there was a man with snake like eyes sitting at a table. Standing before him was a woman with black hair. Sarah felt an instant dislike for the woman although she wasn't sure why. She just knew she shouldn't trust her. She began to feel a little scared and looked around to try to find a familiar face. She saw that her uncle was standing at the opposite end of the room and beside him was a man with long blonde hair. Seeing him made her feel a little bit safer, although she knew it was only a memory and not real life.

"What news do you have Bella?" asked the snake eyed man.

"According to our spy who I questioned on your orders, Dumbledore is recruiting more members to his side. They are strengthening their defenses and warning muggles to be on guard."

Voldemort laced his hands together, "I see. Dumbledore thinks that will help." Voldemort laughed to himself. "Any other news?"

"One that might interest Severus over there, my lord. Lily Potter is in her sixth month of pregnancy. The baby is due in July."

Voldemort turned his cold eyes to Sev, "Does that interest you?"

"Not in the least, my lord. Why would I care what happens to a mudblood?" Severus answered smoothly.

"There is one other thing my lord." Bella gave a small smile but Sarah could tell it was not a happy smile, "Sirius Black's wife is expecting her first child three months after Potter's baby is due." Bella looked at Severus triumphantly.

Voldemort studied Snape's reaction carefully. "You are to be an uncle."

"So it appears" Severus said dryly.

Voldemort suddenly snapped his hands. "All of you, leave me alone."

"Yes, my lord."

Abruptly, Sarah found herself in another room. At first, she was confused what happened, but then realized from her surroundings that maybe the memory had changed. She could tell it was a different house. A pregnant woman with long blonde hair was sitting in a chair with her feet up. "Draco's mother" Sarah whispered, backing up against the wall to observe the scene.

"Don't get up, sweetheart." said the man with long blonde hair.

"Lucius, how was the meeting?" asked the woman.

"Ask Severus. I need to go attend to some business. I'll be back in a few minutes. Severus, do make sure she doesn't get up." Lucius said as he kissed the woman on the cheek.

Sarah watched her uncle sit down beside the woman. "How are you feeling Narcissa?"

Narcissa sighed. "So, So. I'll be happy when the baby comes. I don't like being pregnant. I'm so exhausted all the time, I can hardly move. What happened Sev?"

"Your _sister_" Severus spat the word out, "informed the Dark Lord that Lily Potter is six months pregnant."

Narcissa glanced at Severus, "Bella is trying to undermine you. She is insecure with how much the Dark Lord trusts you." After studying Severus's expression, she added eyes narrowing, "Severus, does Lily Potter's pregnancy bother you?"

Severus didn't answer and Narcissa sighed.

"Anything else?"

"My sister is also pregnant." Severus stated dryly as if he was saying, "It is supposed to rain"

Narcissa reached over and patted his arm. " Gracie Snape pregnant? You want to know the child?"

For an instance, Severus let his guard down and groaned. "Yes. I shouldn't but I do want to. It's Gracie's child. But it won't happen. Not with us being who we are. I haven't seen Grace in over a year."

Narcissa replied, "Not since she married my dear cousin. Watch yourself Sev. You don't want to give the Dark Lord anything to hold over your head. I don't want my son's godfather disposed of anytime soon."

"That would be most unfortunate" Severus remarked.

The scene then shifted again and this time Sarah was standing in a nursery decorated in green and blue. Narcissa was looking down at a baby in a big white crib and Severus was standing in the doorway.

"How's my godson?" he asked.

Narcissa turned around, her waist length hair swishing as she moved. "Cranky" Her eyes narrowed, "where is my husband?"

"He asked me to check on you and Draco."

"We're fine." Narcissa walked over to him. "Sev, I'm glad you stopped by. I have something to tell you."

Severus gave her a slight nod and waited for her to continue.

"Kreacher, the Black house elf, visited me this morning. I asked him to keep an eye on a certain family tree. A new name was added that Kreacher had to black out. 'Sarah Grace Black. It was only added a few hours ago'" She put a hand on his arm.

"A girl? Gracie had a girl?" For a moment, Sarah could see a flash of emotions play over her uncle's face before he quickly schooled his emotions.

"You know Severus, I'm sure Grace is still in the hospital. You could pop in on them." Narcissa casually suggested.

"No, its better this way." Severus said, "But I do have some errands to attend to. Are you and Draco going to be fine?"

"Certainly." Narcissa said and gave him a knowing look.

"Take care of my godson" Snape said as he kissed Narcissa on the cheek before exiting.

Once again, the scene shifted to the bright lights of a hospital. There was a clean smell like antiseptic. Sarah watched her uncle standing in the middle of the nursery, curious to see what he would do. He stopped before a basinet that contained a small baby with dark hair wrapped in a pink blanket.

"Hello there little one." Severus whispered. "Where did all the nurses go and leave you by yourself? That was very nice for me. They probably wouldn't want me in here." He gently touched her cheek.

Sarah watched herself as a baby begin fussing. She wondered how her uncle would handle that.

"Shhh. I didn't mean to wake you up." Severus sighed as he picked up Sarah making sure to support her head. "I'm not very good at this but I have had some practice with my godson. Let's try this" He said as he rocked her slightly back and forth.

Sarah watched in amazement at her uncle. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Baby Sarah settled down and opened her eyes to stare at her uncle. "There you go. You like your uncle Sev don't you? You are so small. Oh, you have beautiful eyes. And your hair is just like your mum's. I know your mum very well. She is very special. I hope you didn't give her a hard time entering this world" Severus gave her a stern look and for a second looked worried as well, but then laughed at himself. "I feel like we have entered an alternate universe. I never talk like this. Imagine me, big tough death eater taking to a baby as if it understood. Just between you and me Sarah, I have a soft spot for all Snape women. And no matter what your father says, you are a Snape." Severus stopped talking as he heard voices in the hall. He quickly put the baby down and cast a quick disillusionment charm. Sarah could no longer see her uncle but she knew he was there because the memory hadn't changed.

"Which one is she, Padfoot?" A tall, lanky man with black hair and glasses asked.

"This one. Isn't she the most beautiful little girl?" Sarah watched the man a handsome man with grey eyes and black hair who had to be her daddy practically bounce over to the basinet and look down at her. Sarah's heart pounded as she realized that her dad did love her so much. The man picked her up and held her. "Look at her, boys. Perfect, isn't she?"

James Potter laughed and looked at Baby Sarah. "A heartbreaker Padfoot for sure. And I can see she has you wrapped around her little finger. And how old is she?"

Sirius laughed, "Five hours Prongs. But she had me at five minutes. Didn't you my little Paddy?"

A man Sarah recognized as Remus Lupin joined in the laughter, "How could she not? She looks just like her mum"

"She does look like Gracie" James responded. "Good thing too, Padfoot." He smirked.

Sirius grinned, looking down at his daughter. "Sarah, this is your Uncle Prongs. He is one of Daddy's best friends. He thinks he is funny, but don't mind him. And here is your Uncle Moony. He is also one of Daddy's best friends. And here is Wormtail. We are all here to take care of you."

"And to fight off the boys" James leaned over to whisper to her.

"Don't worry, Sarah" Remus piped up. "I'll keep your father and godfather in line. You can have some dates."

Sirius shifted her in his arms as she began to fuss. "Ok, Paddy, when you are thirty, you may start dating."

"But more importantly" James reached over to stroke her head, "We are here to pass down our knowledge to the next generation of Marauders. We will teach you every prank in the book and how to be smart enough to not be caught. And then your Daddy and myself will intervene with your mum when she does find out. We have it all worked out, Paddy. Not to worry"

Sirius smiled at James. "We'll have to introduce her to Prongslet soon, don't you think?"

At that the memory shifted once again and Sarah watched her uncle stare into a hospital room. Her mother was sitting on the bed talking and laughing with a woman with red hair and green eyes- Lily Potter.

"Sirius is already head over heals in love with Sarah. He is such a softie. He will probably let her get away with murder. Oh, Lils I'm so happy!" Gracie and Lily were laughing but Sarah wasn't watching them. She was watching her uncle. There was such sadness in his eyes. She wanted to help him but didn't know how.

"Are you ready to go Sarah?" Severus asked placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Sarah jumped up, startled to see her uncle beside her. She nodded and all the sudden she was in Dumbledore's office again. Her uncle handed her the floo powder and she flooed back to Snape's quarters.

Without a word, she sat back down on the couch trying to process the memories Snape gave her.

Snape sat down next to her studying her, unaware of how she was going to react. Maybe the memories were too intense to give an eleven year old. Maybe Sarah was not mature enough to handle them.

Sarah turned her blue eyes on her uncle and tears clouded her vision. She looked at him helplessly, unsure of what to say. In the memories, she witnessed how her life should have been with her mum and dad and her godparents. But also in the same memories, she saw how much her uncle's separation from her mum hurt him. And also how it should have been with her uncle in her life from the very start.

"Sarah, I.." Severus paused for a moment to collect himself. "I showed you these memories because I wanted you to see that I'm not just a cold person who doesn't care about anybody and wants to make your life and Harry's life miserable. I had to learn to control my emotions because they could be used against me and my life could be in danger"

"When you first came to Hogwarts, I was excited. I had been counting down the days, though I wouldn't ever have told anybody that. I couldn't wait to see my sister's little girl. Even though Grace and I hadn't seen each other in so long, she was never truly far from my thoughts. The bond we had as children was so strong. My first disappointment was that you weren't place in Slytherin. It was my greatest hope that I could use my status as head of house to get close to you."

"But Uncle Sev.." Sarah protested.

"No, wait, Sarah." Severus put up a restraining hand. "It's ok. I know that it's not your fault where the sorting hat put you, but that in combination with our first potions lesson…Let's just say that I started to see you as Sirius Black's daughter, not my niece. I didn't hate you because of it, it just made me angry. However, gradually I started to see you as your own person. You are a lot like your father, but you are like your mother too."

"But you still hate Harry."

"I wouldn't call it hate." Severus objected. "Harry is not one of my favorite people, just like Quirrell is not one of yours."

"But, I don't understand. Why don't you care that Sirius Black is my father but you care that James Potter is Harry's?"

Severus sighed. "Sarah, it's complicated. Maybe when you are older. I just want you to believe that I do not hate you. Do you believe that?"

Sarah nodded and then crawled close to Severus, snuggling against him. "Thanks Uncle Sev." she said simply.

Severus nodded and pulled Sarah closer to him.


	19. Dancing Potions

**A/N: **YAY! Another update!I love summer! I hope you all enjoy this chapter- I really liked writing it and adding some much needed lightness before the next chapter. I would love to hear what you think of it._ Please_ click the review button and let me know what you think. Thanks to those who continue to review- it really encourages me to keep writing! :)

**Declaimer**: Don't own- enough said, right?

**Chapter 19- Dancing Potions**

Sarah traced circles around her defense notes with her quill, doodling in the margins. She was so completely zoned out that she didn't even notice when Quirrell had ended class until Harry nudged her, pulling her out of her trance. Yawning, Sarah stretched before gathering her defense book and notebook stuffing them into her bag.

"Going back to Snapes'?" Harry asked. Hermione and Ron turned around to hear the answer to her question.

"Yep, he's been a complete prat lately" Sarah groaned. "I thought my being grounded would just be me having to be in his quarters. But Snape has this whole schedule, which begins after every class with him grilling me on the lectures. Not to mention his study schedule or the disgusting detention tasks…"

Ron made a face. "With anybody else, that wouldn't be so bad, but with Snape…"

"Yeah, it sucks" Sarah affirmed. "I hope he won't make me show him my notes from class today. I don't think he will like my work of art." She sighed.

Harry gave her a lopsided grin. "Don't think Snape will want to put it on the refrigerator?" he teased.

Sarah snorted. "Not hardly." They had made their way out into the hall. "Well, see you guys later."

"See you Sarah," her friends responded. For the past two days, the only contact with her friends had been in classes. Sarah knew that it was going to be a long three weeks, as turned in the opposite direction of Harry, Hermione and Ron to head back to Snape's quarters. She had walked about three meters, when an arm shot out and grabbed her, pulling her into an empty corridor.

Sarah's heart skipped what felt like several beats as her head pounded with intensity. When she realized the identity of her captor, she relaxed, but bent over to catch her breath. "Fred Weasley!" She panted.

"Has Snape been treating you alright?" Fred demanded straight away, placing a hand on her shoulder, nudging her upright so he could see her face. While Sarah had the urge to pop him for scaring her, at the moment Fred was looking at her with such fierceness and protectiveness in his demeanor that Sarah felt a rush of warmth and her mouth curved into a smile.

"I'm fine, Fred" Sarah said lightly. "Snape has just been holding me hostage for the past two days, making me do disgusting chores, while reading to me out of potion journals for torture. Nothing much."

Fred looked horrified. "George and I will take care of it." He nodded as he came upon a prank that he and his twin could do without getting caught.

"Fred, I'm joking" Sarah laughed. "I'm grounded. It sucks, but Uncle Sev has been fair."

"Are you sure?" Fred demanded, putting two hands on each shoulder to hold her still.

"Of course" Sarah rolled her eyes. "He's just making sure that I don't do anything stupid again."

"Alright then" Fred said with a nod. "Let's go." He grabbed her arm, pulling her down the hall.

"I have to go back to Snape's quarters." Sarah tried to shrug him off, but Fred didn't let go.

"I know that, I'm walking you back." Fred said. "Let's go."

They began to continue their walk down the hall in the direction of Snape's quarters. Sarah picked up her pace, knowing that her uncle would be waiting for her, looking at the clock. She didn't want him to know that she had stopped to talk to Fred. His instructions had been explicitly clear- straight to class, straight back.

"Are you quite sure there is nothing that you need?" Fred asked seriously, turning to watch her as they continued walking.

"Well, it does suck having to be stuck with Snape all the time except when we are in class." Sarah sighed, tossing her braids.

Fred grinned, turning around to face Sarah, walking backwards down the hall.

"Not a problem, young Miss Black." Fred responded, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What are you planning Fred?" Sarah asked slowly, curious to know what the redhead was up to.

"You'll find out soon, Sarah." Fred sideswiped her to head back in the direction they came from. "I have to go find George. See you soon, Sarah."

"Boys!" Sarah muttered as she continued on her way. She arrived at Snape's quarters, but besides a raised eyebrow and a head tilt towards to clock, he didn't say anything about her tardiness.

"Class alright, Black?" Snape asked as Sarah threw her books down on the floor, tossing herself down on the floor next to them, rolling over on her stomach and stretching out.

"Fabulous" Sarah responded dryly, turning her head away from Snape, closing her eyes.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Do sit up and tell me about it. The floor is not for little girls."

Sarah turned her head back towards him, opening up her eyes. "Don't little kids play on the floor?" she asked innocently.

"You are not a little kid." Snape said severely. "Go sit on the couch."

Sarah grinned. "But sir, you just called me a little girl. I, for one, know I'm not, but you seem mixed up…stop it!" Sarah protested as Snape stood, bent down and picked her up, depositing her on the couch.

"Stop being contrary" Snape commanded, sitting down next to her. "Tell me about defense class."

Sarah yawned. "You know...it was fine"

"You know…it was fine" Severus repeated, shaking her slightly. "What was the topic about?"

Sarah chewed her lip, thinking. "Um…"

"Sarah Grace Black!" Severus scolded. "Are you telling me you don't know?"

"It's Quirrell! He doesn't teach. He just goes on and on stuttering."

"Professor Quirrell, Sarah" Severus corrected. "Show some respect." He reached for her bag, retrieving her notebook, flipping it open. "Tell me you took some notes Black."

"Um…no…sorry" Sarah muttered.

"Well, then, Sarah, I suppose you will just have to read this chapter and take notes from them" Severus swatted her leg with the notebook before returning to his own chair.

"I hate that you always do that" Sarah frowned as she curled up and opened her book, resigned. Snape pulled out some papers to grade.

"Make you do what?"

"Make me do things right…you don't let me get away with anything" Sarah sighed.

"And that, young lady" Severus said firmly, "is my job as your guardian. Get to work."

After a half of an hour, Sarah had finished and after Severus approved, he told her to pull out her potions book and start studying, before turning back to his essays. Sarah stuck out her tongue at him when he wasn't looking, but complied.

She was overjoyed when, after an hour, Snape was called out of his quarters by Filch, saying that the Weasley twins had been up to their old tricks. While he was hesitant to leave his niece for any amount of time, after sternly warning Sarah to stay put or else and to wipe the smirk off her face, he followed Filch to go deal with the brats of the Weasley twins.

Sarah knew that she was supposed to be studying, but she snuck a muggle magazine out that Hermione let her borrow and stuck it inside her potions book. She was busy looking at the pictures of the latest fashions when Snape came in and Sarah sneakily tucked the magazine in her transfiguration book, closing it and stuffing it under her History of Magic book, while staring at her potions book trying to look innocent. What she had yet to realize is that her innocent look usually clued in Severus to the fact that his niece was hiding something.

"I saw that Sarah Grace" Snape glared at her before sitting down back in his seating and picking up his potion essays that he was grading. "I have to monitor detention with the Weasley twins in an hour. You will join them."

Sarah had to bite her cheek to keep from grinning. "Oh, really?"

Severus shook a finger in her direction. "Don't play innocent with me little girl." Severus slashed his quill across the essay he was grading. He wrote a few words and then looked up and locked eyes with his niece. "You have good friends." He commented quietly.

Sarah nodded.

"Which is why I decided that the Weasley twins would have detention with me tonight instead of handing them over to Professor McGonagall or Mr. Filch." Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Mum told me that friends should stick together." Sarah smoothed down the bumpy hair at the top of her head before pulling her braid absently.

"That sounds like something your mother would say" Snape commented, his quill scratching on the next piece of parchment as he circled words and made comments. "However, I am not convinced that this is what your mother meant."

Sarah grinned. "I think she would have liked Fred and George."

"Oh, I'm sure" Severus replied. "They would have probably reminded her of your father and his hooligan friends. Pitiful" Severus wrote a letter and shook his head at the poor essay he was grading.

Sarah glared at the negative mention of her dad, but then snuck a look at her uncle's scowl at the parchment. "That's not my essay, is it?" she asked nervously.

"No…I have already graded the first years- you will get yours back tomorrow. And that is all I'm saying about it, until you get it back."

Sarah groaned and changed the subject back. "My mum would have definitely liked Fred and George- she would have thought they were funny."

"Oh, yes, Black" Severus shook his head and tore another essay apart with his quill. "It is so funny to create chaos wherever you go…"

"Well, at least my mum had a sense of humor…"

"You don't think I have a sense of humor, Black. I'm truly hurt" Severus gave her a mocked hurt look. "How can you say I don't have a sense of humor? Read your potions book."

Sarah continued to study his expression, trying to wrap her mind around what he meant. She felt that he was teasing her about something and then she finally understood her meaning. "Snape!" Sarah sat up, placing a hand on her hip. "Torturing people with potions reading is not the same as being funny!"

Severus fought a grin. "I wouldn't know, Sarah. Apparently, I don't have a sense of humor" he responded dryly as he raised a hand to dodge the couch pillow that came flying his way.

--

Exam time was rough. Not only was it sweltering hot, but everyone was in a state of frenzy. Harry's scar now was hurting more than ever, and he revealed to his friends that he was having nightmares. Of course, they were all concerned, but didn't have time to dwell on it because of the impending doom of exams. A week before her grounding was up, Snape let her start sleeping back in her dorm room. He said it was because of her good behavior, but in truth, he needed to be able to do some grading in peace and Sarah was becoming more and more restless. He thought that maybe it would calm her down to be around her friends. What he didn't realize was that he was her main cause of concern—him and potions to be precise.

Sarah was still worried about potions even after their talk at the beginning of her grounding. She just didn't want to let him down and she knew that there was a real possibility that she could. Sure, she was slowly getting better because of Snape's drilling, but it was still not nearly what she knew he would want from her. The night before the practical exam Sarah couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned all night and dreamed about her potions turning odd colors and bursting into song. Finally, she decided to it was late enough to get up and quickly got dressed. She couldn't really explain it if anyone asked, but she felt this strong need to go talk to Snape. After braiding her hair, she gathered her supplies for the exam shoving them in her backpack and made her way down to the dungeon. She said the password and knocked on the door of his private quarters.

"Enter."

Sarah found Severus sitting in his arm chair reading the newspaper, sipping coffee. If he was surprised to see her, he quickly covered and acted as if it was natural that Sarah would want to see him before her exam. "Come in Sarah."

"My potions sang. They wouldn't stop singing. I tried to make them stop. They just wouldn't," Sarah cried.

"What are you talking about?" Severus sputtered, staring at her incredulously.

"They turned funny colors too. Have you ever seen a teal potion mixed with purple and lime? And one that sings? What if that happens?" Tears started pouring down her face. "I don't want my potions to sing today."

Severus folded up the newspaper, placing it and his cup of coffee on the end table beside the chair. With a sweep of his hand, Severus motioned for her to come closer to him and when she got there, he pulled her down next to him. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

Sarah sniffed. "I couldn't sleep and when I did…"

"Your potions turned colors and sang," Severus finished for her dryly.

"Yes," Sarah whined.

To Severus's credit, he managed to keep a straight face. Even for someone who was good at controlling his emotions, he was struggling to not burst out laughing.

"Sarah, your potions won't sing and dance today. I promise," Severus said calmly.

"They didn't dance in my dream, Snape," Sarah informed him seriously wiping away her tears.

"Even so, they won't do any such thing. Sing, dance, perform magic acts." Snape patted her on the shoulder and continued, "It's natural to be nervous. It's your first practical potions exam."

"And you'll be breathing down all of our necks trying to throw us off," Sarah sobbed.

"Yes" Severus said simply.

Sarah was surprised and angered by his matter of fact answer.

"But, that's so unfair!" She made a move to get up but Snape pulled her back down.

"We're not finished," he said in his _calm down or my patience might run out_ type of voice.

"Before you say anything else, listen to me, Sarah. It is my job as your professor to make sure that you will be able to make your potions under pressure. A lot of times when forced to make potions, you will be stressed- time will be of the essence, it will be a life and death situation and so on. You have to start learning how to perform now."

Sarah sighed and the tears kept falling.

"I can't do it." She looked down at her folded hands, twisting them anxiously in her lap.

"Yes, you can. You can absolutely do it," Snape said firmly. Sarah was shocked by how confident he sounded.

"You really believe that I can Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked shyly.

"Yes, I do. Now dry your tears," Severus commanded her as he handed her a handkerchief. "Enough of this. It's still early—breakfast is in an hour. You are going to go to your room and go to sleep. I'll wake you up for breakfast. You will eat a good breakfast and then go and take your potions exam. I'll breathe down your neck, make you nervous, and you will do wonderfully. Your potions will only do what you tell them to do by what ingredients you put in. There will be no singing, no dancing, no joking around, no pretty fuchsia with lime colors. Do you understand?"

Sarah nodded and she rose, "Yes sir."

"Good." Snape gently pushed her towards her room. "Go on now, Black"

Sarah left to go to her room. Severus went to his own room and put up silencing charms around it. And then and only then did he burst out laughing.

--

To Sarah's delight, her potions didn't sing or dance even with Snape standing over her making her nervous. And her Forgetfulness potion even turned the right color, even though it was slightly runny. Snape would take off points for that, but Sarah thought given her deficiency in all things potions, her exam couldn't have gone better.

Transfiguration also went well. Her snuff box didn't have a trace of whiskers and while it wasn't the prettiest, it did look rather nice.

History of magic was their last exam. Sarah cheered along with her classmates when Professor Binns told them to put down their quills.

Sarah, Ron, Hermione and Harry made their way out onto the sunny grounds and plopped down on the grass under a tree by the lake.

Hermione wanted to discuss every detail of the History of Magic exam. "That was far easier than I thought it would be," she began.

"Ugh, not now Hermione. You did wonderfully. You are going to make me all nervous about what I missed when I just want to be happy it's over with," Sarah told her.

"Yeah, Mione. I'm starting to feel sick," Ron added. "You could look more cheerful Harry, you shouldn't worry yet. We have another week before we get the results. Then we'll worry."

Harry shook his head, a hand rubbing his forehead. "It's not that. I just want to know why my scar keeps hurting."

Sarah sat up. "Can I look it at it?"

"Sure," Harry said as Sarah knelt beside him and carefully pushed back his hair to study the lightning bolt shaped scar.

"You really should go see Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I think it is more of a warning. It means danger is coming," Harry said.

Sarah nodded, "it doesn't look red or infected. I think it means Voldemort is near."

Ron shuddered and whined, "Sarah!"

"I'm sorry. But I think it's true. Remember what Firenze said, Harry." Harry had told Sarah about his time in the Forbidden forest and being rescued by the centaur. Sarah, of course, wasn't there as she served her detention with Snape.

Harry nodded. "I wish there was some way I could stop Snape."

Sarah huffed. "If you guys believe it is Snape, you are going to miss the real culprit."

"Plus, we are safe as long as Dumbledore is here," Ron added.

"Wait a minute." Harry jumped up and started to walk quickly. The rest of them followed suit, struggling to keep up.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked.

"To ask Hagrid something. Don't you think it is odd that Hagrid would get a dragon from a stranger? That was the one thing he wanted the most?" Harry pointed out.

Sarah gasped. "Harry, why didn't we ever think of that?" she said and started to run.

--

The four of them found out that Hagrid indeed told the stranger that Fluffy goes to sleep by listening to music. Harry was determined that it was tonight that Snape would try to get the stone, while Sarah kept insisting that that it was tonight that _whoever_ was trying to steal the stone, would try to get the stone and they needed to see Dumbledore. They ran into Professor McGonagall who told them that Professor Dumbledore had received an urgent owl from the ministry and became annoyed when they mentioned the Sorcerer's Stone.

"I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but I suggest you go outside and enjoy the sunshine and let the adults worry about it. I assure you it is well protected"

The others turned away, but Sarah stopped them.

"Professor McGonagall, do you know where I can find Professor Snape? I haven't seen him today."

"Severus was called away on a personal emergency," she said as she walked away.

"Personal emergency, what does that mean?" Harry said.

"It means," Sarah explained calmly, "that whoever is trying to steal the stone, knew that Uncle Sev would try to stop them. They need him out of the way as well as Dumbledore."

"So, you really think Snape isn't the one?" Ron asked.

"It doesn't matter what I think. Whoever is trying to steal the stone now has the perfect opportunity."

"What can we do?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"We have to try to stop them," Harry replied in a calm voice.

"What? We are just first years! We could get expelled." Hermione responded.

"Or killed" Sarah added in a softer voice, her blue eyes wide.

"Look Mione, Sarah. If Voldemort get his hands on the stone, he will come back to full power. There may not be a Hogwarts to come back to. Sarah, as for getting killed, Voldemort murdered my parents. I have to stop him."

Sarah nodded her head. "I know you do. I'm coming with you."

"What? No!" Harry shook his head. "I promised your mother that I would be a good friend. She trusted me. You can't come with me." Harry paused as if remembering something else.

"What else did my mom tell you Harry?" Sarah asked calmly.

"That we should stick together. She made me promise that."

"Ok, then I'm coming with you. Being a good friend to you, means I'm coming with you. It means sticking together. I'm coming Harry."

"We all are mate," Ron said firmly. He had been quiet up until now. Hermione nodded her agreement.

"Alright. Let's go grab my invisibility cloak, and go."

They ran up stairs and waited while Harry ran into his dorm room to get the cloak. However, before they could leave they were stopped in the common room by Neville.

"I…I'm not g…going to let you do it. Y…You'll lose points for Gryffindor again," Neville sputtered.

"What? Neville listen…" Harry began but Hermione had already cast the body binding curse on him.

"Sorry Neville," she said with a shake of her bushy hair. "Let's go."

--

"Narcissa, what is it?" Severus rushed into the sitting room. He knew Lucius was away on business and he got an owl from Narcissa saying there was trouble and she needed him to come immediately.

Narcissa rose. "What are you talking about Sev?" she asked slowly

Severus paused. "The letter, Narcissa. What is the emergency?" he prompted impatiently.

Narcissa shook her blonde head. "What letter, Severus? I didn't send you a letter."

Severus clenched his fists. "Damn it. Tonight's the night, then. And Sarah is there unprotected." He ran a worried hand through his hair. "I must get back to Hogwarts."

"Sev" Narcissa reached out to grab his arm. "You think tonight is the night the Dark Lord somehow will try to come back. Something has to have made you think that" Panic laced her voice.

"Perhaps," Severus stiffened. Even though it was well documented fact that Severus spied for Dumbledore, a fact which earned him his freedom, But the Death Eaters also knew that he fed information to Voldemort, which was a fact that kept him alive. Even Narcissa, his best friend, didn't know which side he was truly on.

"I need to go back, Cissy" But Narcissa grabbed his arm, holding him. "You will stop him, right?" An urgency filled her eyes and even though time was of the essence Severus couldn't prevent himself from reaching for her, gripping her shoulders. "Narcissa…"

"Lucius burned too many bridges…made too many enemies. When he does come back, we are not safe…" Tears filled Narcissa's eyes.

"I promise you that you and my godson will be safe no matter what happens, Cissy, but I must get back. Quirrell, it has something to do with him…The Dark Lord must have somehow gotten him under his power. I don't know how, but Sarah isn't safe. She and her friends have been trying to find out information about the stone- if they were successful, then she is in danger"

"That's a pretty big if, Sev…even if Sarah and her friends went after him, Quirrell wouldn't hurt a child …" Narcissa insisted.

Severus cupped her face. "You know as well as I do what people will do when they are underneath the Dark Lord's power. If Sarah gets in his way, it would mean her certain death. I can't fail Gracie…If anything happened to that child, I don't know what I will do."

"Go, Sev," Narcissa backed away from him. "Good luck." Severus stepped forward and kissed her cheek before rushing off.


	20. The True Test of Friendship

**Disclaimer: **I don't own- Rowling does- it follows the events of the SS- what she created, not me

**A/N:** This chapter has a darker, more intense feel to it. It contains a brief scene of violence directed towards children. That is why the rating is upped, just to be on the safe side. I tried to keep it in the spirit of the story that I am writing and nothing is graphic (at least I don't think) If it bothers you, skip over that part. I'm really nervous about posting this chapter because it does have a different feel so please review and let me know what you think!

**Chapter 20- The true test of Friendship**

**About ten years earlier…**

"_What is it, Professor Dumbledore?" James juggled Harry in his arms, freeing a hand to shake Dumbledore's extended hand. _

"_There is a situation" Albus replied gravely. "Where is Lily?" He looked around for the redhead, but instead found Grace Black. "Hello Grace"_

"_Hello sir." Grace's arms were currently full of little Sarah who had her head on her shoulder and Grace was patting her back. "Lily is at work. There was an emergency. Have you heard from Sirius and Remus?" Grace had tried to keep your voice causal, but her tone indicated that she was clearly worried about her husband and friend. She put Sarah down in the playpen and handed her stuffed dog to her. She reached out her arms for Harry, taking him from James's arms and placing him next to Sarah. The two babies giggled at each other as Harry made a face at her. Grace went to stand next to James, looking up at Professor Dumbledore with anticipation. _

"_Not yet, but I fear another situation has come up. I need to send people, but people are in short supply." _

"_I'll go" James offered quickly. He would have gone with Sirius and Remus but he was fighting a cold and not at one hundred percent. Grace had come over to help with Harry and bring him some potions while Lily was at work. And in all honesty, James knew that she didn't want to wait alone for Sirius and Remus to return. From the moment she arrived with Sarah, Grace had been on edge and James had tried his best to calm her fears, though he was worried about them too. _

"_Are you feeling better? Dumbledore looked him over quickly. "Because if you are not, we cannot risk it"_

"_Loads, Grace here is an expert at potion making…What do you need?" _

"_There is evidence that some Death Eaters were holding two children in an abandoned house in Surry. Apparently, the parents are already dead." _

"_Why would they do that?" Grace sat down on the couch, running a weary hand absently through her head. "I mean, what would they have to gain?"_

"_Fear" Dumbledore responded simply. "What else?" _

_Grace lowered her head for a minute, taking in what the Headmaster had said. Her heart ached that her brother was probably a part of it, but she knew what she had to do. "I'll go too" Grace said quietly, determination etched on her face. "James will need help." _

"_No, Grace," James turned to her and shook his head, patting down his tousled hair. "Sirius will never forgive me if something happens to you." _

_Grace stood up slowly. "James Potter, if you think for one minute that I will stand here and do nothing, you are sadly mistaken. Friends, stick together. Do you doubt my ability to fight?" Grace gave him a hard look, narrowing her eyes. _

"_Of course not Gracie…"James said, trying to appease his friend's rising temper._

"_Don't call me that…" Grace snapped. "I'm going with you." _

_James gave Dumbledore a pleading look but he shook his head. "We need everyone, James, and Grace is more than capable of holding her own." _

"_Thank you, professor. We will take the kids to Ted and Andromeda and then we will go get those kids…" Grace gave James a saucy look. "I do hope I just remember how to cast a stunning spell…" _

"_Grace" James started worriedly. Grace hadn't fought since before Sarah was born even though James knew that Grace and Sirius would duel each other so Grace kept in shape. Sirius often admitted grudgingly that his wife could out duel him- not an easy task. Still, under pressure, James was concerned. He knew that if anything happened, Sirius would be devastated. _

_Grace leaned over the playpen to lift Harry up. His little arms went around Grace's neck and she kissed his head "Go to your Daddy, Harry" She whispered to him tenderly._

_Grace stuck her tongue out at James's worried look as she held out Harry. "I was just kidding. Take your son, Prongs"_

"_Good luck" Dumbledore said. "If you need reinforcements, send your patronus. I fear you may need it" _

_--_

"_Are you alright, Grace?" James asked as they approached the door of the house. The smell of must seemed to permeate from the door, like the house needed a good cleaning. _

"_Stop asking me that, I'm fine," Grace responded. "Wands out. Let's go" Adrenaline began to flow as Grace couldn't fight the nerves in the pit of her stomach. She had done this before- faced them, but she was aware that this could have been a trap. And as they made their way up the dark, curvy steps in search of the kids, they found that was exactly what it was. The kids were huddled in the corner and in their way were five death eaters, all wearing masks to conceal their identity. _

"_Stay there!" Grace warned the kids as James signaled to her, stunning two death eaters while she cast her patronus. _

_Grace dodged spells coming at her from a different directions, managing to stun one of the death eaters with a particularly strong spell. She whirled around to shield James from the killing spell. Her heart quickened as she came face to face with her husband's cousin. She would recognize Bellatrix even with that ridiculous mask she was wearing. _

"_Well, well, well, if it isn't Gracie Black…sweet, little Gracie Black" Bella mocked. "How is my dear cousin?" _

"_Just wonderful" Grace gritted her teeth. In the corner of her eyes she saw James struggling with two of the death eaters and one in the corner. There was one still on the floor- the stunning spell she cast was so powerful, she knew that he would be out for at least another 20 minutes, buying them some time. The children were sobbing in the corner behind her. A precious little girl of about five with dirt on her face and her hair in braids and a little boy, probably a year older was holding her as she cried, trying to calm her down. A memory flashed quickly in her mind- a memory of another little boy comforting his younger sister as their parents fought. Grace took a deep breath, pushing the memories aside. _

"_But you don't want to talk about my husband, Bella. So let's just get to it, shall we?" Grace began casting spells, dodging the ones coming at her. Bella was strong and Gracie was struggling- sweat poured from her forehead, but she knew that as powerful as Bella was, she was a good match for her. Then, she saw one of the Death Eaters fighting James going around behind him, about ready to strike and for that moment, Grace took her eyes off of Bella. "No! James! Protego!" Grace's shield was powerful, but it left her vulnerable and Bella's maniac laugh echoed though the house…"Avada Kedavra…"_

_Grace knew it was the end but all the sudden she felt her shoulder pop out of the socket as she fell to the ground, the killing spell missing her as a spell from another direction came out causing her to fall onto her back. And then she heard more voices- Sirius, Remus, other order members. The Death Eaters were fleeing, but one knelt beside her in the chaos, a voice that was achingly familiar to her. _

"_Never, Grace Eileen, take your eyes off your opponent. You know better-do you regard the lives of your friends as more precious than yours?" _

"_Sev…" Grace moaned, rolling to her side, trying to push herself up, but after a firm squeeze to her hand, he had disappeared with the others. _

"_Gracie!" Sirius's arms were around her, lifting her up. "What were you thinking?"_

"_Friends stick together" Grace mumbled, before clinging to her husband, even in spite of the searing pain in her shoulder. "And the children, I couldn't leave them, but Sirius, Bella was about to kill me and then…then…another spell hit me, separating my shoulder, causing me to fall back and the spell to miss…" Sirius drew back from her, holding her face in his hands._

"_What do you mean?" he asked, turning his head towards James. _

"_I saw it too, Padfoot," James responded. "I thought for sure…" He leaned back against the wall, exhausted. "Grace saved my life, Sirius- I didn't see the one come from behind me, but it almost cost her life. I don't understand what happened."_

"_Sev…it was Sev" Grace's lip trembling. "He protected me. He's always protecting me"_

_Sirius looked at her incredulously, not knowing how to respond. "I want to go home Sirius- I want to go home and hold Sarah. The children…" The children were still cowering in the corner. Grace walked over to them, putting a hand on the little girls head, falling down on her knees so she was level with the kids. "It's ok. Everything is going to be alright now. We are going to take care of you." She looked at the boy and patted him on the shoulder. "It's going to be alright. You were so brave to take care of your sister. You are such a good big brother" Remus came around from behind and picked up the girl and held his hand out to the boy, who took it. _

_Sirius reached down to help Grace off her knees. "The children were not the only one who was brave tonight. My brave, strong Gracie" Sirius kissed her forehead briefly before kissing her fully on the lips. _

"_Don't be mad, Siri. Friends stick together. I had to come." Grace said firmly. "How can I teach Sarah that if I don't live it myself? I would want her to do the same for Harry one day." _

"_You can't" Sirius replied. "But hopefully, our daughter will never need to go into battle with our godson."_

"_We are fighting so that won't have to happen" Grace laid her head on her husband's shoulder. "I was scared, Sirius. If Sev hadn't stepped in…"_

_Sirius held her tightly. "Don't even think about in Gracie. I can't lose you, I love you …"_

"_I love you too, so much" Grace leaned in to kiss him again. "Let's go home to Sarah." _

And so they did, not even imagining that only a short ten years later, their young daughter would be forced to make the same decision her mother had.

--

**Hogwarts- About 10 years later**

"Are you alright, Sarah?" Harry turned to Sarah, who gave him a curt nod.

"I'm fine, stop asking me that," Sarah responded, making a face at her friend. "We haven't even done anything yet."

"Yeah, Harry, why don't you unlock the door?" Ron grumbled. Harry gave an apologetic smile and unlocked the door, using the spell Hermione taught him at the beginning of the year. "Alohomora"

When the four entered the room on the forbidden third floor corridor, they noticed that beautiful music was juxtaposed with Fluffy's loud snores, his paw on the trap door.

Sarah frowned as she looked at the slumbering three headed dog. "He is such an ugly thing. Why does Hagrid lik…"

"Does it matter, Sarah?" Hermione sighed impatiently.

"No, I suppose not" Sarah responded back, as she took a tentative step towards the three headed dog. "You can't help it, Fluffy, can you?"

Harry joined her as she knelt down to talk to the dog, "Ok, Fluffy, we just need to move your paw here. Keep sleeping puppy dog." Sarah said cooingly, as she and Harry lifted the giant paw off the trap door and Ron and Hermione opened it.

The four of them looked down into the trap door. It was like a tunnel of darkness. Sarah took a deep breath. "We would have to go down there into the darkness. I hate it when it is dark." Her heart quickened and she tried to push her thoughts aside, but she had begun to tremble. Her mind drifted to her first memory of being scared of the dark.

"_Mummy, Mummy!"Four year old Sarah flung open the door to her mother's room and jumped onto her mother's bed. Grace groaned, rolling over. _

"_What is it, Sarah?"She mumbled, reaching over to turn the switch to the lamp on. There in a heap on her bed, sat Sarah, trembling in her pink pajamas, holding the stuffed animal that James and Lily had given her. Sarah had tears pouring down her face as her mum reached for her, pulling her into her arms. "Shhh…what is it, Sarah? You can tell Mummy. What's the matter?" Grace stroked Sarah's hair patiently as the child relaxed in her arms. _

"_The dark- it's scaaary. T..there's mmmonsters underneath my bed. They l..live in the dark," Sarah stuttered. _

"_Oh, I see" Grace said cuddling her daughter. "That is very scary, baby girl. What if mummy goes back with you and I will look for monsters. And then we will leave a light on. That way it will be less scary." _

Sarah remembered that Grace had carried her back into her room, and looked around for monsters. She never teased her or made her feel that her fear was irrational. Maybe if she had, Sarah would have gotten over it. But even with that, Sarah was glad that her mum was so accepting of her, even if it meant shielding her.

"Who wants to go first?" Mione asked nervously, pulling Sarah out of her memories. Sarah ignored Hermione's question, instead choosing to focus on the calming music in attempts to try to channel her nerves.

And all the sudden, the calming music stopped, causing Sarah to pause. "Wait. What do you hear?" Sarah interrupted.

"Nothing" Ron said confusingly.

"That's my point." Sarah said.

The four fell silent, as if the silence had frozen them in place, but the silence was penetrated with a deep, low snarl.

"JUMP!" Harry yelled and grabbed Sarah's hand, pulling her with him. They landed on what seemed like a plant.

"What's this?" Ron asked shakily.

"It's so dark" Sarah whispered. It felt like her heart was hammering out of her chest.

"It's alright, Sarah" Hermione whispered. "Think of something else."

"Like the fact it's starting to pinch me!" Sarah squealed. "OUCH!" She tried to wiggle out of its grasp; suddenly her fear of the dark was not her biggest worry.

"It's Devil's Snare." Hermione said. "Remember, we learned about it Herbology?"

"Um…no" Ron muttered. "I don't remember. I don't pay attention in class"

In spite of everything, Sarah couldn't help giggling. "No kidding, Ron. Devil's Snare- we need to relax. If we relax, it will release us from its grasp. That's kind of hard when it's choking you to death." Sarah took calming breaths trying to focus on something else.

"Relax, you guys have to relax" Hermione instructed firmly. "Think happy thoughts."

Sarah closed her eyes and pictured her mum the day of Harry's first quidditch match. She had looked so beautiful that day in Gryffindor colors. She could almost feel her mum's arms around her.

"_Thanks for coming mum. I love you and miss you so much." _

"_I love and miss you too baby girl. Write to me soon sweetheart" Grace said, hugging her extra tightly._

Sarah wrapped her mind around the memory, focusing on the feeling of security and love she felt that day. Suddenly, Sarah felt herself dropping downward, released from the Devil's Snare. She breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped to the ground.

She opened her eyes when she heard Hermione's frantic words beside her and a sweaty hand squeezing her, "He's not relaxing" accompanied by Ron's shrieks.

"Sarah, we have to do something" Harry urged.

Sarah wracked her brain for what she had read in her Herbology textbook. Snape had quizzed her on this chapter and she couldn't answer his question, so he made her go back and find the answer. "Sunlight. We need Sunlight." Sarah told her.

"Yes, of course. Why didn't I think of that? Good job Sarah. Lex Lumos" Hermione responded and Ron fell down beside them.

"Good thing we all kept our heads" Ron said confidently as he rose, dusting off his pants.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Good thing Hermione listens during Herbology and Snape makes Sarah do the reading."

"Yeah, I know all those hours of torture were for something. Uncle Sev would be so pleased" Sarah laughed.

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Where are we any way? Are those birds flying around?"

Harry looked upward as Sarah inched closer to him. "No, they look like keys. I know what we have to do! We have to catch one of these keys that open the door." He eyed the broom.

"Go on Harry" Hermione said encouragingly. "You are the only one who can do this."

"You are the youngest seeker in a generation. This is your task" Sarah added.

"I think I am looking for an old key. There it is!" Harry jumped on the broom and started maneuvering through the keys. After a few minutes, he caught the key and the four raced into the next room adjusting their eyes to the new environment.

"Why it's a chess board!" Ron exclaimed. "We are supposed to play chess!" Even though it was a dangerous situation, his eyes lit up and his excitement was evident to all of his friends.

"This ones yours, mate" Harry turned quietly to Ron.

Ron took charge and directed each of them to their positions.

"Ron, you don't think this is like real wizarding chess, do you?" Hermione asked, anxiety evident by her tone.

Ron nodded. He directed the game with skill and gusto until he came to a stopping point. He took a deep breath. "Let me think. Let me think. The only way to win is…I've got to be taken."

"NO!" The three exclaimed.

"There is no way I am going to let you do that." Harry argued.

"Look, do you want to stop you- know- who or what? It's the only way. Then the three of you can go on."

Sarah looked around the board. Her stomach panged as she turned to Harry. "Harry, he's right" she whispered. "We got to stop Voldemort. Hermione?"

Mione closed her eyes briefly and nodded. Ron steeled himself. "Alright then…"

Ron moved forward and the queen smacked him hard on the head. He fell to the floor in a heap. Hermione was about to rush towards him when Harry yelled out.

"Don't move." Harry instructed. "We are still playing."

He moved three spaces and took the king. The king threw his crown at Harry's feet and the giant doors opened. Sarah moved to join Harry, peering into the door- into the unknown. Her jaw stiffened as she stood, unaware of what Harry was saying next.

"Hermione and Sarah, you stay with Ron. Go get help. I have to go by myself."

Hermione rushed to him and threw her arms around him.

"_Hermione_!"

"You are truly a great wizard you know?"

" I'm not as good as you" Harry mumbled, embarrassed.

"Me! Books! And cleverness! There are more important things- friendship and bravery- oh, Harry do be careful"

Sarah witnessed the scene as if she was in a dream. She reached deep into her pockets for her wand. Pulling it out, she made her decision. It was really not a hard choice to make. She wasn't going to let Harry fight this alone. Her face was stoic, not showing her vulnerability.

If her mother could see her now, she would have said that she looked strangely like a mixture of her father and her uncle. If her uncle could see her now, he would say that she looked exactly like her mother when she fought the toughest death eaters- her expression was so similar to her mum's in the split second when she realized James was in danger and she risked her life to protect her friend. Her hair was tangled and there were smudges of dirt on her face, but both her mother and uncle would have said that she looked beautiful.

"Harry" Sarah said in a measured voice that didn't quite sound like her own, "I'm going with you."

Harry shook his head. "No, Sarah. This is my fight. I can't let you do that"

"You never asked for this fight. My mother told us to stick together. I'm not going to disappoint her." Sarah said calmly. "I can help you. Uncle Sev has been training me for this moment all year, though it's come a lot earlier than he thought. He's taught me spells- one's that we haven't learned in class. Not many, but it is better than nothing. I can help you. And I'm not giving you a choice. I'm following you. It is what friends do."

Harry sighed knowing that wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise. Sarah could be quite stubborn. "Ok, Sarah. We will stick together. Hermione please go get help as fast as you can."

Hermione nodded vigorously. "Good luck" She said as she gave Sarah a hug.

Harry wiped his hand on his pants before reaching out for Sarah's. Hand in hand, they walked through the door. Sarah felt a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach once again. She squeezed Harry's hand and when they entered the last chamber, she heard Harry gasp.

"You were right," he whispered. "It isn't Snape."

--

Snape felt like he couldn't breathe. He had checked everywhere for Sarah and her friends, but they were no where to be found. He was just about to enter the third floor corridor, when he was met by Dumbledore.

"Albus, I think there might be trouble," Severus's face was as pale as the moon.

"Indeed, my thoughts precisely. I was sent on a fool's errand. Tonight must be the night" Albus turned to Severus. "Will you go with me, my boy?"

"Headmaster, there is more," Severus said in a voice that sent chills down Albus's spine. "I can't find Harry and Sarah anywhere. I think…I fear…" Severus's voice trembled, but he quickly pulled himself together, "I fear they figured it out."

Albus quickened his pace and as they reached the entrance to the door, Albus whirled around to face Severus. "Whatever happens, none of this is your fault, Severus…"

"He won't hesitate to kill them or torture them if need be" Severus shuddered.

"We will find them" Albus assured him, but behind the fire in the headmaster's eyes, there was undeniable worry.

--

It was Quirrell. Sarah held her wand behind her back and let go of Harry's hand. She wiped her own clammy hand on the fabric on her shirt, because her wand was slippery in her hand. She didn't want to accidentally drop it.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Quirrell said.

"It was you," Harry said. "All along, it was you"

"Of course it was. Who did you think it was? Professor Snape?"

"Well, he did try to kill me" Harry pointed out logically.

"HE? It was I who tried to kill you. And I almost did except Snape was countering my curse. Why did you think that he wanted to referee your last match?"

Sarah gasped. "So, that's why Snape wanted me not to go to the match. He didn't want me to figure it out."

Quirrell's eyes turned to the girl in front of him. "Very good, Miss Black. But now I am going to kill you both." Quirrell laughed. "But first I am going to make you watch me get the stone. Now, how do I do this? Should I break the mirror?"

"Wait. Use the boy" A high pitched voice commanded. "Use the boy to get the stone."

Sarah shirked in fear the minute she heard the voice. She had to steel herself to keep from trembling.

With a strong hand, Quirrell grabbed Harry and pushed him forward. Sarah backed away and tightened her grasp on her wand holding it firmly against her back. Instinctively, she knew that their best hope was for her to disappear and have Quirrell focus on Harry. To act too soon, would be deadly. Lucky for them, that was exactly what was happening. Quirrell seemed obsessed with Harry and wasn't paying much attention to her.

"What do you see, boy?"

"I'm winning the Quiddich cup. Dumbledore is handing me the trophy" Harry said as he felt his pocket begin to bulge.

"He lies!" The voice squeaked. "Show me to him"

Sarah froze as her blue eyes became wider. Harry's gaze met her eyes and then they knew for certain what was happening. In that moment, as scary as everything was, they found strength from the knowledge that they were not alone. As Quirrell laboriously unwrapped his turban, Harry's scar exploded in pain. He fell to the floor in agony. Sarah fought every instinct to run forward and do something to help him, but instead she forced herself to focus and stay put.

"Harry Potter. We meet again. See what I have become? Only a shadow of what I was? Why don't you save yourself and give me the stone? We could become great together. You don't want to meet the same end of your parents who begged me for mercy."

"LIAR!" Harry screamed, his hand clutching his forehead. "My parents didn't beg for mercy. They died bravely."

A shrill laugh echoed through the room. "Show him. Make him feel the pain. But don't kill him until I get the stone" Voldemort instructed.

Quirrell raised his arm, his wand extended. Sarah knew it was her time. Taking several steps forward, she shouted "Protego" while Quirrell uttered "Crucio!" A massive shield exploded from her wand blocking the curse and shielding Harry from Quirrell. Sarah was even surprised at its size but managed to keep the shield up. She had never produced one that big before. Uncle Sev always made a point for her never to overexert herself by casting the spell- to save some energy. But in that moment, Sarah knew that all the energy she had, had to be directed into this spell. She knew it was unreal that she should be able to cast such a spell, but her uncle had said that it was not uncommon for a wizard to find a trademark spell and be able to cast it at a young age. So she struggled to maintain it, blocking the unwanted curse away from Harry.

Voldemort gasped. "What it that?"

"I..it's the Shield Spell" Quirrell stuttered. "u…unbelievable. It's p…powerful"

"Produced by a first year half of your size? Impossible. Counter it!" He commanded. Quirrell managed to break the spell after several minutes and sent a spell her way that bound her hands and feet with invisible ropes. Sarah struggled and her wand dropped to the floor. She suddenly felt beyond exhausted. Usually, Severus would dose her with potions after practicing the spell saying that as she got older, it wouldn't drain so much of her energy. She forced herself to focus on Quirrell and Voldemort, not on her exhaustion.

"What first year can hold the shield spell for that long against a full grown wizard?" Voldemort asked. "You look familiar. What is your name, child?"

Sarah refused to answer, shaking her head- defiance in her eyes.

"Defiance? Nobody defies me, there is always a price to pay for that" Voldemort laughed. "Make her answer me and maybe your methods will cause Potter to change his mind."

Sarah bit her lip, not knowing what was coming, but knowing that whatever it was, it was going to be bad. And yet, she knew she was completely powerless to stop it.

"ANSWER HIM" Quirrell yelled. "Crucio"

Sarah fell to the floor, convulsing in pain. Unable to bear it, Harry rushed to her. "Stop it! I'll give you it."

Quirrell stopped the curse immediately, eying him curiously. Harry tenderly put Sarah's head on his lap.

"Don't do it." Sarah said weakly. The spell had left her feeling like she had no power within her. She knew she was weak, and maybe she wouldn't ever get her strength back. Maybe she would just die here, with Harry's hand on her head. She would be with her mum again. She only wished it would all go away. But even as she was fading, she could hear Voldemort's voice loud and clear.

"Quirrell, tell me, who is this child? First, she produces a spell that an adult wizard could hardly produce and now, Potter would risk everything for her"

"Sarah Black, my Lord"

"Sarah Black? Where have I heard that name before?"

"She is Severus Snape's niece."

"Ah, yes. Sarah Black. You're a pureblood. You should be joining me, not stopping me, child. I could make you great. You have the potential. I could train you and when you grew up, you would become one of my most powerful Death Eaters. When, I come back to power, you will have to take the mark."

With every ounce of strength Sarah managed to shout. "NO! My mum and dad fought against you. I'll never take the mark!"

"Your choice. Enough talk. Seize the boy, then kill them both." Voldemort instructed.

Harry stood up in between Sarah and Quirrell, determined to protect her, determined to save the stone.

Sarah crawled up onto her knees, fighting to get the strength to help in any way she could. The curse had broken her bonds, now all she would have to do is find her wand.

As she held it in her hands, she heard agonizing screams. "HARRY!" she yelled.

"Stay where you are!" Harry screamed as he struggled with Quirrell. Harry's touch was causing Quirrell to burn. He was disintegrating before their eyes. He tried to step away, but Harry kept lunging at him using all his strength. Finally, Quirrell turned to a heap of ashes on the floor and Sarah saw Harry collapse in front of her. Voldemort's spirit floated above them and Sarah not knowing what would happen did the first things to come to mind. "Protego" but nothing would come out of her wand. Voldemort floated through Harry and then her. When he did, she felt pain like she has never felt before even with the curse. She fell to the floor unconscious beside her friend.

--

Severus felt like his heart was going to break when Hermione pointed towards the open door.

"They've gone in alone" she said with panic. Dumbledore rushed forward, Severus close to his heels. And that's when he saw her, on the floor, laying on her stomach. She looked so lifeless almost like a baby doll.

"_The floor is not for little girls_" The words echoed in Severus's head as he lunged forward, kneeling beside Sarah.

"Sarah, oh, no, Sarah" he moaned. In the corner of his eye, he caught Dumbledore reaching for Harry in the same way. In that moment, he wondered if he had utterly failed all three of the woman he loved the most in this world.

A/n 2: Did you guys like the flashback at the beginning? What do you think?


	21. And the House Cup goes to

**A/N: **Thank you so much to all who reviewed! More people reviewed the last chapter which made me so excited. Sorry about the late update. I was trying to update it before I went out of town, but I didn't finish in time. But here is the new chapter! Please let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer**: Belongs to Rowling. Some dialogue taken straight from SS. But Sarah and Grace belong to me.

**Chapter 21: And the House cup goes to…**

--

_Six months earlier_

Severus leaned back wearily. Looking up, he stared at the ceiling, trying to contemplate his next move. He had just come back from going through Grace's personal belongings. In her dresser drawer was the letter that he mailed to Sirius but with that, was another envelope- this time a large yellow one, which was addressed to him in Gracie's loopy cursive. He didn't know if he would have to strength to open the envelope that was lying in his lap. But he knew that Gracie wanted him to. So taking a deep breath, he grasped the envelope firmly in his hands, and tore it open. Two smaller envelopes fell out.

Severus picked up the two envelopes and studies them. _Read First _was written clearly on one envelope, while _For later_ was on the second one. Severus rolled his eyes at his sister's antics, but nonetheless, he honored her wishes. He stuffed the "For later" envelope back in the yellow envelope and tore open the "Read First" envelope. His hands shook as he held the paper in his hands.

_Dear Sev,_

_You just left a few minutes ago, but somehow I felt that my words fell short. There was so much in my heart to tell you, but I didn't seem to have the strength. My heart aches at the lost time. So often, we feel that we are invincible, but when the fact that we aren't hits us like a slap across the face, it makes us second guess everything. You are my big brother- I should have never let Sirius or Voldemort come between us. And for that, I'm so sorry, Sev. _

_I never did thank you for saving my life that day at the house in Surry. I went home that night, held my daughter in my arms and cried. Sirius didn't quite know what to do with me and I think I frightened Sarah. But I cried, Severus, because I knew that in spite of everything, you loved me still- enough to protect me. You are always protecting me- taking care of me from afar. You think you becoming a death eater erased that part of you, and I admit, I wondered the same thing until that day. You are a good man, Severus Snape, in spite of everything. _

_You think that you won't be able to raise my daughter, but I know you can, Sev. You raised me. You gave me bandages when I scraped my knee, brushed my hair at night, tucked me into bed, let me cry on your shoulder when I was homesick at school or got in trouble with McGonagall. You took care of me, and in the same way I know that you will take care of Sarah. You think you have no love left, Severus, but I know you do. Your ability to love did not die with Lily, it didn't die with me. You have plenty of love left for Sarah, I know you do. It's the most powerful gift- one that will make you feel like your heart will explode more times than not, but it's worth it, Severus. Trust me on this one._

_No matter what happens, I love you. Thank you for being my brother. _

_Love, _

_Gracie_

_PS. About the second envelope, you will know when to open it. _

At reading of his dead sister's faith in him, Severus dropped the letter back into his lap, turned his head, and wept.

--

**Hogwarts, six months later**

_No matter what happens, I love you. Thank you for being my brother. _

The words kept repeating over and over in Severus's head as he surveyed his lifeless niece. Dreading what he was about to find out, he forced himself to examine his niece.

It felt like his heart was going to explode as he did so, but he breathed a sigh of relief. She was weak, very weak, but she was alive.

Turning to Albus, he locked eyes with the Headmaster. "Harry?" he croaked, his voice dry with emotion.

"He's alive"

And with those words, hope poured back into him. Maybe he didn't fail them, after all. Hoisting Sarah up in his arms, he held her tenderly as he did the first time in the hospital nursery, as he made his way to the hospital wing, Albus with Harry close behind him.

--

Severus adjusted the bedcovers once again before running a hand over Sarah's forehead. She was still running a slight fever, her body seemingly fighting something. He sat back down in his perch between Sarah and Harry's beds. Poppy had given both children potions to try to restore their strength, but without knowing what exactly happened, there was not much more they could do. What they needed was for the children to wake, but so far they continued to rest peacefully as they had been doing for hours. It was unpredictable how long it would take for each to wake up, but Poppy and he were both certain that they would. Now, it was simply a waiting game. Severus had only left Sarah's side for a few moments at a time, refusing to leave Sarah for longer than a few minutes even though Poppy, Albus and Minerva all at different times had urged him to try to sleep. But to Severus, the choice was simple: when Sarah woke up, he would be there.

He gaze shifted towards Harry. The child also seemed to be resting comfortably. Sighing, he rose again to feel his forehead. Judging from his hand, Potter's temperature was normal. So the question remained, what happened down there that caused this?

Severus had grilled Hermione and Ron but they didn't know anything of what happened with Quirrell. They had spent the last several hours sitting beside Harry and Sarah, but Poppy finally put her foot down and made them go up to their dorm for some sleep.

Severus sighed as he looked over to where the one child who refused to leave slept. Fred Weasley had finally fallen asleep, his head on Sarah's bed and hand on hers protectively. While Poppy was able to bully the others, Fred would have none of it. Dumbledore tried, McGonagall tried, George tried, Severus himself had even ordered Fred upstairs and docked house points (which McGonagall promptly gave back), but to no avail. The child was stubborn but as he cheekily pointed out, Severus wasn't going back to his quarters to go to sleep. After that, Severus stopped trying. Secretly, he was glad that Sarah had such a loyal friend. It reminded him of how he and Lily were before everything happened. If anything had happened to Lily, Severus wouldn't have left her side either. If there was one consolation, Sarah didn't seem to be disturbed in her slumber. In fact, judging from the small smile on her lips, she seemed to be having a very good dream indeed.

--

Sarah rolled over in her bed onto her back, kicking off the covers with her foot. The smell of freshly baked pancakes drifted over to her, encouraging her to get up. She turned her head to look at the clock. She realized it was definitely time to get up. She was surprised nobody had woken her up. Sitting up in her bed, she stretched and hopped out of bed. It was absolutely good to be home!

Leaving her room, she wandered down the hall towards the voices in the kitchen.

"I cannot believe that Cannons lost again. It is a downright outrage." A man's voice echoed down the hall.

"What did you expect- their seeker was injured." The female voice was accompanied by a laugh. "I, for one, saw that coming a kilometer away. You are losing your touch"

"You did not" The voice protested. The voices became quieter, followed by laughter.

"Stop, I'm trying to finish up Sarah's pancakes- and you are distracting me!"

"Fine, we will finish this later. _I'm_ going to go finish reading my paper."

"Fine, go read your paper before I throw a pancake at you."

"You would too" the voice grumbled.

"You know I would…oh, morning, Sarah. I made you some pancakes."

Sarah grinned, laughing at the conversation going on in the kitchen though a little grossed out about the kissing she had walked in on, though by now she was supposed she was used to it. "I knew I smelled something good! I missed your pancakes, mum" She walked over to where Grace was flipping pancakes to give her a hug.

Grace paused to wrap her arms around her daughter. "And I missed making you pancakes. Go get yourself some juice and sit down." she pushed her gently in the direction of the fridge.

Sarah walked over to the refrigerator and got out a carton of orange juice. Pouring it in a glass, she sat down at the table.

"What? No morning for me? Paddy, I'm hurt. I guess I am going to have to take back your welcome home present."

Sarah laughed delightfully. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Good morning" Sarah leaned down to give him a kiss in response to Sirius's mocked hurt look. Sirius reached up to pull her into a hug, kissing her hair. "I missed you, Sarah."

Sarah smiled as she slid into the seat to delve into the pancakes her mother had made. They were her favorite. Sirius reached over to grab a bite of her pancakes with his fork, stuffing them in his mouth. Sarah smacked his hand. "You already had some, Dad!"

"I know, but I wanted some of yours" Sirius grinned. "It's a dad's right to have some of his daughter's food."

Sarah stuck out her tongue at him and continued eating.

"Gracie, I think that we should look into getting Sarah a tutor for the school year. That way she could stay at home and be this delightful all year long." Sirius teased as Sarah scowled at him, taking another bite of her pancakes and dodging his daughter's swatting hand when they heard a knock on the door.

"Get your own, Dad!" Sarah protested.

"Come on in- it's open" Grace called. Sarah looked up to see her uncle enter, holding a book in his hand.

"Morning, Sev" Grace gave her brother a hug. "I'm glad to see you."

"Good morning Gracie" Severus smiled at his sister. "Mmmm, smells good in here" Severus leaned over to examine what Sarah was eating.

"Want a bite, Uncle Sev?" Sarah handed her fork to him and Severus ate it. "Your mum makes the best pancakes. Too bad that's all she makes" Severus remarked innocently. Sirius snickered and Grace smacked both of them upside the head.

"Hey, how come you give your uncle your food and not me?" Sirius whined. Sarah rolled her eyes. "That's because you already had some, Dad. And Uncle Sev didn't try to steal them from me," she explained.

"It's only because she likes me more than you. Obviously…" Severus's mouth twitched.

"Now, boys" Gracie intervened. "Play nice. What did you bring, Sev?"

"Well, it seems that Sarah left a book at my place." Severus turned his face so he could see his niece.

"What did you leave Paddy?" Sirius asked, surprised at his daughter's face getting red.

"Her potions text book for next year," Severus answered for her, "I can't imagine how she would have forgotten it. I just had to bring it by. I wouldn't want her to miss the opportunity to get a head start on her reading" Severus said, shaking his head, his mouth twitching again.

"Yeah, you know, the end of the year and stuff" Sarah fumbled. "Thanks, Uncle Sev"

"What end of the year stuff?" Grace asked, sitting down at the table. "You never did tell me how the end of the year went."

"Yes, Sarah, do tell your mother how the end of the year went" Severus prompted.

"Excellent. Really wonderful" Sarah said, swirling around her pancakes in the syrup, avoiding eye contact with her uncle. She had thought she had gotten a way with it, but now she knew that she had gotten caught. Not much got past her uncle- usually, he kept it between him and her, but sometimes he got her mum and dad involved. This looked like one of the times, though he didn't seem mad.

Grace's eyes narrowed. "Sarah Grace Black, what did you do?"

Sirius folded his newspaper to give Sarah his full attention. "You finished the year ok, right kiddo? You think your grades are going to be fine?"

"My grades should be really good" Sarah said, finally meeting her uncle's gaze and Severus nodded, confirming it. "It's just that… wait a sec, Uncle Sev, can I talk to you please?"

"Yes, after you tell your parents" Severus shook his head. "I told you the last three times that you pulled a prank, I would tell your parents the next time. And no amount of pleading will get me to change my mind."

Sarah bit her bottom lip, catching her father's eyes, trying to send him a silent message.

"Just tell us Paddy and get it over with" Sirius said with a pat on her arm. "It can't be any worse than anything I used to do"

Sarah smiled. "It's just that" she began.

"Go on" Grace prompted, her voice becoming stern and impatient.

"Grace, I'm sure…" Sirius began to intervene noticing the tone in his wife's voice, but Grace shot him a look and Sirius, after giving his daughter a sympathetic glance, he closed his mouth.

"Fred Weasley and I sort of played a prank on Filch during breakfast the last day"

"_Sarah_" Grace groaned. "_What did you do this time_?"

"We put grow-a-nose in his tea" Sarah bit her lip, trying to look contrite, until she caught the gleam in her dad's eye.

"How long did his nose grow, Paddy?" he leaned over to whisper to her excitedly.

"Six feet, dad" Sarah grinned back. "It was so wicked."

Sirius beamed. "That's my girl!" He said proudly until he caught the scathing look his wife gave him. "Um, I mean, you know better, young lady"

Grace sighed exasperatedly. "I don't know what I am going to do with these two, Sev. Between Sirius and Sarah's Uncle James, it seems inevitable"

"Undoubtedly, we all know what trouble makers they were in school: their reputation has definitely become somewhat of a legend at Hogwarts" Severus said, "I think Minerva nearly retired when both Harry and Sarah got sorted into Gryffindor."

"Ha ha, very funny, Uncle Sev. You know Professor McGonagall likes us" Sarah said saucily. "Speaking of Harry, when are we going to see Aunt Lily and Uncle Prongs?"

"Tonight at dinner" Grace responded. "And you and Harry are both going to behave yourselves" She attempted to be stern, but ended up just smiling.

"Oh, you know you love it Mum. We are one big happy family" Sarah put her arms around her mum, trying to smooth it over. Grace sighed again, but pulled Sarah closer. "I do love you, Sarah". Sarah closed her eyes, wanting to remember this forever. But all the sudden the people faded away and she was left with a voice prompting her gently, but firmly,

"Come on Sarah. Wake up now"

Her body felt heavy and pain coursed through her. She wanted to go back to that dream she was having. "Open your eyes, Black. You can do it. I know it hurts, but you need to open her eyes." Sarah recognized the voice. It was her uncle. Drawing what little strength she had, she managed to open her eyes.

"There you go." Severus sighed and put a gentle hand on her head. "I was worried about you. Drink this. It will help with the pain." He reached down to help her sit up. Sarah choked down the potion that Sev gave her. Putting the glass back down and allowing her to lie back down, he sat on the side of her bed.

"How are you feeling?" His voice was gentle.

"Sore," Sarah mumbled, groggily.

"I know. You have been asleep for over a day."

"I had a dream with you and mum and dad. Fred and I had played a prank and you made me tell mum and dad. We were all together and happy, Uncle Sev," Sarah said hoarsely.

Severus turned his head away from his niece briefly, closing his eyes to try to fight the emotion. When he turned back, his voice was only a whisper, "It sounds like a very good dream, Sarah."

Sarah smiled and then she struggled desperately to get up. Severus realized she finally woke up enough to remember the events of the previous night.

"Harry?" Sarah strained to sit up but Severus pushed her back down.

"Harry will be fine. He is sleeping in the bed next to you. Do not try to sit up. You are too weak. Turn your head to look at him" Severus instructed and Sarah stopped fighting and turned her head enough to see Harry sleeping in the bed next to her.

"Has he woken up yet?" she asked worriedly.

Severus shook his head. "No, but don't worry. He will."

"Ron? Hermione? Are they alright?"

"Also fine. They have both come to visit you. So have the Weasley twins. Fred wouldn't leave your side. Look, he is sleeping right next to you. Even Malfoy has come." Severus raised an eyebrow at her as if waiting.

"Do we have to talk about it now?" Sarah shuddered, tears involuntarily falling down her face.

"No, but we will discuss what happened down there. We can wait until you are stronger. Poppy said you will need to stay here another day once you wake up. I will have to give you some potions to help replenish you. I need to know two things though so we can know what to give you." Severus said gently stroking her hair. "What spells did you cast and what curse hit you?"

"Protego" Sarah whispered.

"Good. How big was your shield?" Snape asked.

"It was BIG, Uncle Sev. You know who was pretty impressed"

Severus smiled though shuddered at the thought of The Dark Lord anywhere near Sarah. "That's my girl." Surprisingly, his words made her feel stronger.

Now was the question, Severus had been dreading asking all along, but he had to know. "What spell hit you, Sarah?" His voice was kind, and his hand felt warm and comforting on her head.

"It really hurt." Sarah closed her eyes and tears started rolling down her face.

"I'm sure it did. I need to know which one. Did you hear what was said?" Snape asked gently, still stroking her hair with one hand while he moved his other to grasp her hand, squeezing it.

"Crucio"

Snape started, sucking in his breath. He felt sick to his stomach. He was glad Quirrell was dead because if he wasn't, he would have choked the life out of him with his bare hands.

"But that didn't hurt as much as Voldemort going through me." Sarah informed him.

"The Dark Lord went through you?" Severus said in surprise.

Sarah nodded. "Me and Harry."

Severus made a mental note to tell Albus. "Alright, I'm going to go get Poppy."

"Don't leave me!" Sarah reached for his arm and clenched it.

Snape's heart tore at those words. "I will only be one minute. I will come right back." But Sarah refused to let go of his arm, seemingly terrified to be out of his sight. "Wait a second." Severus gently pulled Sarah's fingers away from his arm and walked over to the other side of the bed, and nudged Fred Weasley awake. Fred lifted his head, his eyes meeting the distressed eyes of his friend.

"Sarah!"

"Mr. Weasley, I need to get Madam Pomfrey, but Sarah needs someone to stay with her. Will you sit with her?"

Fred nodded, smiling. "I'm glad you are awake, Sarah" Fred said, relief evident in his voice. "Are you ok?"

"I don't know, Fred" Sarah whispered. "I'm scared. He's out there somewhere waiting to come back."

"You know Who?" Fred's voice shook only slightly.

Sarah nodded. Fred grasped her hand tightly, not knowing what to say, but the gesture said enough.

Content that Sarah was alright with Fred, Snape went in search of Poppy. He found her in her office. "Sarah is awake," he said.

Poppy eyed him, a frown forming at his expression. "What was it?"

"Cruciatus curse."

Poppy flinched visibly, "The poor dear. I'll get the potion."

"I'm coming. I just need a minute."

Poppy nodded her head. "Use my office. I will make sure no one comes in" She put a hand on his shoulder. "Severus, there is nothing wrong with feeling these emotions. I know you were trained not to, but it shows that no matter what _you know who_ did to you in the past, you are still human."

"Grace said the same thing to me before she died."

Poppy smiled, "I always thought Grace Black was a wise woman." She left casting a silencing charm and shutting the door behind her.

Severus leaned against the door. All the events of the past day caught up with him. When he arrived with Dumbledore, both Sarah and Harry were hanging on to life by a bare thread. Never before had he felt such agony- not even when Grace and Lily died. The thought of Quirrell using the forbidden curse on his little girl tore him apart. He sank to the floor, succumbing to the tears. He knew what that curse was like- the Dark Lord used it freely for submission. And Sarah was so little. It wasn't fair what she had to go through this on top of everything else that happened this year. None of this was fair. He wrestled with that thought for several minutes, before forcing himself to calm back down again.

Once he had done so, Severus steeled himself as he thought, "He's not going to win. I won't let him" With that, Severus walked out the door to go back to his niece.

"Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked sleepily as he approached her bed. The potion Poppy had given her made her drowsy. Fred had taken his seat and was telling her about some prank that he and George had pulled in their first year at Hogwarts. There was a little smile on Sarah's face as Fred told his tale. Spotting Severus, he stood up and allowed him to reclaim his seat.

"It's ok, Black. I'm not leaving you, just go back to sleep," he assured her.

"Will you wake me up if Harry wakes up? Please Uncle Sev," Sarah was fading fast.

"Ok, just go to sleep." Severus tucked the covers back around her. He turned to Fred, but the child had already fallen back asleep his head on Sarah's bed. Severus pulled out his potions finals he needed to grade. As he worked, he watched over his sleeping niece and Harry sleeping in his own bed. He paused to walk over to Harry's bed and pull back up the covers that Harry had kicked off. His hand rested a moment on the child's shoulder. He knew that he was the son of James Potter, but looking at him, he couldn't help but feel some concern. Lily's boy had almost died. She would have wanted him to look at for Harry. Severus knew that, but he didn't know how to get past the fact that every time he looks at him, he saw James, the man who had if only for a short few years, the one he had always wanted- the one he would always truly love. Seeing Harry reminded him of the product of that union and the result of his mistake. And that was unbearably difficult to get past.

--

Harry woke up a few hours later to find Dumbledore sitting next to him. Severus had left to give the two a chance to talk and while Sarah still wouldn't discuss what happened, Harry gave Dumbledore the details as well as received answers to his questions. Hours afterwards, Sarah was sitting on Harry's bed and they were playing a game of exploding snap.

"Harry?" Sarah asked timidly.

"Uh huh?"

"What did Dumbledore say caused Quirrell to melt?" her hands began to tremble as she fidgeted with the blanket on Harry's bed.

"Sarah, you don't have to be scared. Quirrell's gone. My mom's love left a mark when she died for me so Quirrell couldn't touch me."

"But Voldemort is not gone."

Harry shook his head.

"He's coming back, right?"

"Probably" Harry said, brushing away the hair in his eyes. "Hey, Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for you know…"

"You're welcome" Sarah reached over to give her friend a hug. Harry held her tightly. "I'm sorry for…"

"It's not your fault" Sarah replied. "It was his. I don't blame you." She released him and decided to change the subject. "Do you think that Madam Pomfrey will let us go to the Leaving Feast?"

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore said that he would convince her. Seemed to think it was important for us both to see Snape get handed the house cup."

Sarah grimaced. "Now that I don't want to see. Especially knowing it's partially my fault. Malfoy is going to be an obnoxious prat over this!" Sarah made a face of disgust before plopping down on her stomach.

"Tell me about it, though it's worse for you. At least I can leave at the end of it, you have to hear Snape and Malfoy go on for the rest of the summer."

"WHAT?" Sarah sat back up, crossing her legs underneath her.

Harry gave her a confused look. "You mean you didn't know? I'm sorry."

"Know what Harry?" Sarah said in a voice that told him she wanted to know now.

"I overheard Dumbledore and Snape talking. Malfoy is visiting you this summer for three weeks. I thought you knew."

Sarah sulked, "no, Uncle Sev forgot to mention that nice little fact."

Harry laughed. "I'll bet you'll let him know that." He was amused by her reaction. After all, they had spent so much time in the hospital; they had to find amusement somewhere.

Sarah glared at him before reaching for her pillow on the next bed. "Watch out, Potter" She smacked him and issued a silent challenge to him.

"You're on, Black" Harry took his own pillow and they had a pillow fight that lasted several minute before Madam Pomfrey came in and broke it up, making them nap before she released them.

--

"Oh, yes indeed. Excellent job Slytherin" Dumbledore from his spot at the podium praised the students of Slytherin.

Sarah rolled her eyes at Harry. The beautiful hall was decorated in green and silver. The students of the Slytherin house were jolly, having won the house cup yet again. It was their seventh year in a row. Sarah glanced at her uncle. Severus was talking to Minerva animatedly. Perhaps gloating, Sarah couldn't tell at her present position. She looked over to where Malfoy was sitting, with a smug look on his face, banging his goblet on the table. "Now he's definitely gloating" Sarah thought as she wrinkled her face in disgust. "Three whole weeks with Malfoy."

"However recent events must be considered. Late points must be awarded."

Sarah looked at Fred next to her and shrugged her shoulders, "Dumbledore couldn't mean us," She thought. "After all, we broke several school rules."

"Oh, yes, let's see, to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points."

Ron turned purple and Sarah and Hermione practically glowed at him. Percy was whispering "That's my youngest brother."

"Second- to Miss Hermione Granger for cool use of intellect, I award Gryffindor fifty points."

Sarah reached across the table and squeezed Hermione's hands as she blushed and buried her face in our arms.

"Next, to Miss Sarah Black. It is easy to follow friends when you know what to expect; it is an entirely different matter, to follow friends into the unknown, especially when your life is threatened. For unparalleled loyalty and a shield spell that would put most adult wizards to shame- fifty points for Gryffindor."

Sarah felt her heart skip a beat and her face get red as everyone turned to look at her. She caught Severus's eyes and she swore she saw a slight smile before he quickly became stoic again.

"To Mr. Harry Potter…for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

At this point, the entire room was trying to do the addition in their head. Did Gryffindor finally have enough points to break the Slytherin streak? Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were looking hopefully wanting to end the Slytherin domination.

"We are tied" Fred whispered to Sarah. Sarah grinned at him.

"And finally…there are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but even more so to stand up to our friends. For that, I award Mr. Neville Longbottom ten points." Dumbledore smiled, "And now if I have done my calculations correct, a change of decoration is in order. Gryffindor wins the house cup!"

Applause erupted in the Great Hall. The Gryffindor table jumped up and cheered boisterously! It had been seven long years. Fred Weasley picked Sarah up and spun her around, cheering loudly. Gryffindors down the table were exchanging hugs and slaps on the back. There were several moments of chaos in which Sarah after receiving a hug from Hermione, Ron, and Harry looked over to the Head table. McGonagall was positively radiant from happiness. Dumbledore caught her eye and his blue eyes twinkled in response. Finally, Sarah reluctantly looked at Snape. Snape looked forlorn and a little bit irritated. Sarah frowned a bit, trying to catch his eye. Finally, Severus looked at her and as if he could read her mind, gave her a reassuring look. With that, Sarah felt free to continuing celebrating with her friends.

And celebrate they did. In fact, the celebrations lasted long into the night, until McGonagall came in and broke up the party, sending her students to bed.


	22. Nightmares

**Disclaimer: **The usual...i don't own, so don't sue, you know the deal

**A/N**: Another update- yay! Thanks to all who have reviewed. Seriously, you guys are really encouraging! Please let me know what you think of this chapter.

**Chapter 22**: **Nightmares**

"_When I come back to power, you will have to take the mark." Voldemort hissed at her, his eyes glaring at her from the back of Quirrell's head. _

"_No!" Sarah yelled. _

"_Do you think it is that easy, child?" Voldemort laughed at her as he turned human. Sarah shirked from him, but Voldemort came towards her. "Your uncle served me. You will too. I don't allow choices here." With his long white fingers, he reached for her arm, clasping his hand around her forearm. Sarah screamed in pain, trying to jerk her arm away from his hand, but a white mark was burning on her skin. She begged him to stop, but he wouldn't. He would only laugh as she screamed in pain, finally falling to the floor in defeat. _

_Voldemort knelt down beside her to rub her head. "One day you will understand that this was supposed to happen"_

_Sarah sobbed. "But I'm different. I have to be different." She groaned as she fought out against what was happening to her. "NO!" _

"NO! NO!" Sarah sat up in bed, screaming, tears flowing down her face.

Hermione jerked awake at the sounds of screaming.

"Sarah, what is it?" Hermione said sleepily and with a flick of her wand turned on the light. The other girls sat up, rubbing their eyes. At Sarah's white face, Hermione's faced creased with worry, "Do I need to get McGonagall?"

Sarah shook her head, "No, I'm fine. I just had a bad dream." She reached for Paddy, who was sitting on the foot of her bed. She was shaking, but managed to lie back down, squeezing Paddy tightly in her arms.

"Are you sure Sarah?" Parvarti looked at her with concern. "You're shaking."

Sarah tried to make herself stop, but she couldn't. The dream was so real and she was filled with such fear and dread. She kept trembling and couldn't stop the tears that overcame her. "He's not here." She thought over and over again. "Just a dream" But it felt like he was here, just waiting for her.

Hermione sat on her bed, rubbing her back. "Get McGonagall, Lavender. It's ok, Sarah" She tried to say reassuringly, but couldn't deny the worry she felt. "What was your dream about?"

Sarah shook her head, not wanting to admit that Voldemort thought she should take the mark. What did that say about her?

Hermione opened her mouth to protest Sarah's silence but at seeing her anguish, she stopped and the girls sat waiting. After a few minutes, McGonagall came in followed by a very worried looking Snape.

"What is going on here?" Snape demanded.

"I don't know, sir" Hermione stood up to turn to Snape. "She just woke up screaming and she can't stop shaking."

Snape took one look at his sobbing niece who was shaking uncontrollably, hugging her stuffed dog and went over to her. "I'm going to take her to my quarters." He told McGonagall who nodded, face lined with worry at the scene unfolding.

"NO! I can stay here. I'm fine." Sarah buried her head in her pillow and willed herself to stop shaking. She was beginning to feel sick to her stomach as well.

Snape ignored her and leaned down to pick her up, covers and all. Sarah fought, but Snape's strong arms held her tight. "Stop fighting, Sarah" Severus said firmly. "Just relax. Take deep breaths and try to calm down." He adjusted her in his arms as he began to head to the door, but Hermione's voice caused him to pause and turn.

"Professor?" Hermione asked timidly.

"She'll be fine, Granger. You can see her in the morning before we leave."

Snape took Sarah to his quarters, Minerva following close on his heels. Sarah had relaxed some in his arms, but she was still trembling. Sarah thought he would be taking her to her room, but instead, he sat down with her in his armchair. She was in his lap and her head was buried on Severus's shoulder.

"What was the dream about?" Severus asked calmly, holding her tight.

Sarah shook her head and buried her face further.

"Sarah" Professor McGonagall tried "Was you know who in the dream?"

Again, there was silence. It was clear Sarah was refusing to answer.

"Black, you have to talk to us. We can't help you unless you do" Severus reasoned, squeezing her gently. "I've got you and you're safe with me. You know that right?"

He felt Sarah nod into his shoulder. "Good girl. Now, you know that I will take care of you, right?"

Sarah nodded again and shifted in his arms.

"Very good" Severus said gently. "Then you know that you need to let me know what is going on."

Sarah sniffled, but didn't answer.

McGonagall and Snape exchanged worried looks.

"Ok, Sarah. This has become not a choice. You can either tell us what your dream was about or I will go get the Headmaster right now and you can tell him." Severus said sternly, taking a new approach. If reasoning with the child failed, maybe anger would snap her out of it.

"WHAT!" Sarah's head shot up. "What does the Headmaster have anything to do with this?"

"But he does, Sarah" Minerva argued, exchanging a glance with Severus, knowing what he was trying to do. "When a student has to come and get me in the middle of the night because they were awakened by another student and when it involves two of his professors, it becomes a Headmaster issue. More than that, when a student refuses to answer a member of the faculty, than that is defiance. Since, you have already gotten in trouble_ several_ times this year, you go to Headmaster Dumbledore."

"THAT IS SO UNFAIR! I shouldn't be made to tell" Sarah jumped up and ran into her room, slamming the door hard. She could hear Snape calling after her, but all she wanted was for them to leave her alone. Sarah put her back against her door, breathing heavily, sobbing. She just wanted to hide away.

Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were trying to decide how to best handle the situation.

"I should have just used legilimency on her" Snape threw up his hands in frustration. "It would have been so much easier than trying to reason with an exhausted eleven year old. It's a disaster."

"Severus" McGonagall frowned "you cannot use legilimency on a student."

"Even if I am her guardian?" Snape snapped. There was a knock on the door. "ENTER" Snape barked irritably.

"Nice to see you too, Severus. Especially since the house elf's message was that I was needed immediately. You would think with a message like that pulling me out of bed at this hour, I would be invited in a little more hospitably." Dumbledore said cheerfully. He was wearing his blue dressing gown and nightcap.

"Sorry" Snape mumbled "I could have solved this problem if only I could use legilimency, but Minerva here thinks it is a bad idea."

"And indeed it is, Severus." Albus shot him a disapproving look.

"You try dealing with a belligerent, hysterical eleven year old," Snape shot back.

"Well, I deal with belligerent professors all the time, I can't imagine they are much different than eleven year olds." Albus quipped.

Snape huffed and Dumbledore quickly sobered up, sensing that Severus was in a mood. "What does seem to be the problem Severus?" he asked patiently.

"Sarah absolutely _refuses_ to tell us what her dream was that woke her up in the middle of the night. She was shaking so much the girls had to come and get Minerva who called me. I managed to calm her down a little before trying to ask her but she refused to respond to both Minerva and myself."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "You think the dream was about what happened with Voldemort?"

Minerva shuddered and Snape looked angry "Can we _please _not say his name?" he asked.

"Severus, you know how I feel about that…" Dumbledore started and Snape quickly relented lest he hear Dumbledore's reasoning for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, I do" Snape responded, with a dismissive hand. "But she still refuses to talk about what happened with her and Harry"

"Where is she now?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, when Minerva and I threatened to get you if she didn't tell, she became angry and yelled at us before running into her room and slamming the door. I was hoping it would have made her so angry that it would have spilled out, but that didn't work"

"I see" Dumbledore responded with a look of compassion etched on his face.

"She is emotional and impulsive just like her wretched father." Snape fumed, arms across his chest.

"Let's not blame Sirius Black for everything" Dumbledore chided gently. "Let us see. It is late and the child is not going to be in any emotional state to confess anything right now. Severus, go to her and bring her to me. I will talk to her and tell her that we are going to have a long discussion with her in the morning. I'll get a dreamless sleep potion for her out of your stores. Can I have the key please?"

Severus nodded, going over and reaching for the key and tossing it to Dumbledore who caught it easily.

Next, he walked down the hallway to Sarah's room and knocked quietly on the door before entering. He found Sarah lying face down on her bed, arms still around Paddy sobbing.

"Black, the Headmaster wants to see you."

Sarah sat up and eyed his stern look. She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry Uncle Sev. I know you are angry with me but please don't make me see Professor Dumbledore."

Severus gently disentangled himself. "It's not a choice, Sarah."

"But…" Sarah looked at him desperately. "Please Uncle Sev. You know it's not fair. I'll do whatever you say, just don't make me tell you!"

"Sarah, stop it" he said firmly. "No arguing. Come with me" He put a hand on her arm and led her out the door, down the hall and into the sitting room. Dumbledore was sitting on the couch and Minerva was in Snape's armchair. Sarah thought that it looked funny McGonagall sitting there.

Dumbledore looked serious. There was no twinkle in his eyes and he quickly got up and walked to stand in front of Sarah. Sarah edged closer to Severus, but Snape released Sarah's arm and moved to sit on the couch, leaving Dumbledore and Sarah standing. Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Black, I understand we had some sort of a problem tonight. But it is much too late to talk about it. I just want you to understand completely that we will be discussing it tomorrow in detail with the three of us. I am going to give you some potion to help you sleep, so you don't have any more bad dreams. You will stay here for the night and in the morning, we will talk. Do you understand?"

Sarah nodded unable to meet his gaze.

"Sarah, please look at the Headmaster when he is talking to you." Severus insisted.

Sarah's eyes snapped up and her blue eyes met Dumbledore's aged ones. There wasn't disappointment like in Snape's, but some sort of understanding.

"Yes, sir" Sarah replied softly.

"Thank you Miss Black." He patted her shoulder and smiled warmly at her. "Now your Uncle Sev is going to tuck you back in bed and give you the potion." He handed Severus the potion. "Come on Minerva, I do believe we all need to get some sleep or we will all be quite cranky in the morning, especially Severus."

Sarah cracked a laugh and Snape rolled his eyes, though he was glad to see Sarah smile, albeit briefly. "_Good night_ Headmaster" he said before gently pushing Sarah towards her room.

--

Sarah woke up to Snape's gentle nudging. "Five more minutes" she said sleepily, rolling away.

"No, wake up, Black. We have to go talk to the Headmaster. I need you up and showered _now_. That is if you still want to be able to ride the train home with your friends." She felt a firm pat on her hip and she rolled over again, forcing her eyes open.

Sarah scowled, but got up anyways and drowsily walked towards the bathroom.

When she was showered and dressed, she felt more awake. Sarah walked down the hall to find her uncle waiting for her. He looked her over to make sure she was presentable. She was wearing her robes and a maroon ribbon in her hair.

"Ok, let's go. We are going to use floo" Severus pushed her towards the fire place. "Remember what to do?"

Sarah nodded and picked up the floo powder, stepped into the fire place and clearly said, "Dumbledore's office."

She stepped out of the fireplace into the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk and McGonagall was sitting across from him. He stood up when he saw Sarah arrive.

"Good Morning, Miss Black. Please sit down. I trust your uncle is behind you." Dumbledore greeted her with a gentle smile. Sarah felt that she had an ally in the headmaster.

"Yes sir" As if on cue, Severus stepped out of the fireplace.

"Have a seat." Dumbledore pointed to two chairs next to McGonagall.

Sarah took a deep breath and her hands trembled slightly on her lap as she sat. She was in between her professors, which made her more than slightly nervous.

"Good Morning Professor McGonagall" She turned to her head of house, her face creasing with worry.

"Good Morning, Sarah" Minerva patted her shoulder. "Do not worry so, child. We are here to help."

"Professor McGonagall is correct. We are all here to help. However, first of all, Miss Black, before we can continue, I would like you to apologize for yelling at Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape." Dumbledore looked at her seriously.

Sarah face reddened as she briefly met Dumbledore's eyes and then looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry for losing my temper."

"Thank you," Dumbledore responded, "Now, suppose you put all of us at ease including yourself and tell you what your dream was about."

Sarah studied her hands carefully. "I…it's…" Sarah sighed heavily frustrated.

"You do realize Sarah, that it was only a dream. Voldemort cannot hurt you. I want you to remember that." Dumbledore looked grave.

"You don't understand, Professor." Sarah couldn't help the tears that were already starting to fall and hung her head in shame.

"Then help us to Sarah," Severus said, rubbing her back slightly.

"But you all are going to be disappointed in me," Sarah said softy.

"At this point, the only thing that would make us disappointed is if you still refuse to tell us. That would mean that you don't trust us and we haven't done our jobs as your professors to establish that trust. In that case, we would be most disappointed in ourselves" Dumbledore responded. "Do you understand?"

Sarah nodded before proceeding. "In my dream, Voldemort made me take the mark," Sarah said softly, "It was…It hurt."

Severus shifted slightly in his chair, and McGonagall twitched, while Albus studied her carefully. Sarah noted no shock or disappointment, only concern. "I'm trying to perceive where that is coming from. Did Voldemort say anything to you when you were with Harry?"

Sarah nodded. "He said that when he comes back to power, I will have to take the mark. He said that I'm a pure-blood and that he could make me powerful."

At Sarah's revelation, Severus inhaled quickly, stopped rubbing Sarah's back but rested his hand, tapping his fingers absently on it.

"He suggested that a child take the mark! He wants to train her. He is thinking more and more of the future. What did you tell him Sarah?" Severus asked slowly.

"I told him that my mum and dad fought against him and I would never do it" Sarah said honestly.

"You defied him?" Severus exchanged a look with Dumbledore that Sarah didn't quite understand.

"But he thinks I should be one of them. Am I evil?"

Dumbledore stood up suddenly. "NO!" He walked over to Sarah and pulled her up to stand in front of him. "Sarah, you must listen to me. It is our choices that matter. You can either choose to follow Voldemort or not. Voldemort just saw your power, not anything about your character. I don't believe that you could ever be a Death Eater because of that."

"Will these dreams stop? I just want to forget that night ever happened!"

Dumbledore sighed. "That I cannot tell you. Alas, I am afraid you might be having bad dreams for a while. You went through an experience down there, one that would have many adult wizards having nightmares. But your Uncle Severus is going to be there when you wake up from those bad dreams and he is going to help you."

"Can't I just have more of the potion that you gave me last night?" Sarah asked hopefully.

"Indeed, you cannot. The potion Severus gave you last night when taken regularly can become addictive. It is better to deal with the pain now. Do you understand, Sarah?"

Sarah nodded, "I suppose."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Good, now we have a breakfast to eat and you have friends to see."

Sarah turned to Severus, "Can I still spend the week at the Weasleys?"

"What do you think, Albus?" Severus asked.

"Come along Sarah" Minerva stood up, "Let's go down to the feast while Professor Dumbledore discusses this with your uncle."

They left together, Minerva's arm protectively around her and Albus responded "I think Molly is more than capable of handling a few bad dreams. She has been looking forward to it for so long. In addition, the boys will be there too"

Severus looked at him suspiciously, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You cannot deny that the Weasley boys are quite taken with your young niece, especially Fred."

"She is only eleven, do not play match maker Albus." He said irritably.

"I am simply making an observation." Albus responded, "What you make of it is entirely up to you."

"Then you think the prophecy is wrong?" he argued, "I just can't see Fred Weasley turning dark."

Albus laughed. "Neither can I- the thought of that. Let Sarah have her fun this week, Severus. Especially since you have yet to tell her that Draco is spending some time with you this the summer."

"How do you think she will handle it?" Severus asked.

"I think you very well might have your hands full." Albus chuckled.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I can hardly wait." He fell silent, frowning.

"What is it, Severus?" Albus asked gently.

"I'm not sure…" Severus began, "I'm not sure I can handle this. When I thought she was dead for that moment when we found them, it was like my whole world stopped and I just thought over and over again that I failed them."

"You haven't" Albus said quickly. "You must realize that."

Severus remained silent and Albus continued. "You have continued to help Sarah through the death of her mother, even though you were mourning the loss of your sister at the same time and given the resemblances between Grace and Sarah, it must have been difficult having her in her care. You have dealt with her misbehavior and you have taken care of her. That is all that Grace would have wanted. And you will help her through this"

Severus slouched, "There was one other thing Grace wanted."

Albus smiled. "I think you may have achieved that as well, Severus. Perhaps you must get in better touch with your feelings and in doing so, Sarah might as well"

"I'm not going to get all mushy with her" Severus frowned. "I don't do that"

Albus stood, giving him a knowing look that Severus hated. "Time will tell, Severus, time will tell"


	23. The Weasleys

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

**A/N**: Another chapter. This one is a lot lighter than the other ones (after the first part) and was fun to write. I hope you all enjoy it. _Please_ click on the review button and let me know what you think! Thanks!

**Chapter 23- The Weasleys**

Severus decided a while ago, and Molly agreed, that it would be better if Sarah spent the first week of summer holidays with the Weasleys, before settling into a summer routine with him. Sarah had never been to Snape's house, so it was sure to be an adjustment, especially in her first summer holiday without her mum. However, he decided to take Sarah to the Weasleys later that day instead of having them take her from the train station. First, there was something they must do together.

After Grace's death, Severus retrieved a few main things from Grace's apartment, but he did not have the time or heart to clean it out. Remus had long since moved out, unable to deal with the memories. He offered to help pack up some of Grace's things, but Severus wanted to do it himself, when he had more time. But he also knew that he shouldn't do anything, until Sarah was able to come and have some closure. He was afraid that given Sarah's current emotional state and her nightmares last night, that this would be too hard for her, but he also knew that with Sarah gone, he could close up Grace's place properly and then he and Sarah can move forward.

"Where are we going, Uncle Sev? I thought I was going home with the Weasleys" Sarah's face creased with worry.

"And you are- I'll take you there later. But for now, there is some place we must go" Severus took her arm. "We are going to apparate. I'll hold your arm. It may feel somewhat uncomfortable, but it is the quickest way."

Sarah nodded and they apparated to right outside Grace's apartment. Severus kept his hand steady on Sarah's arm as he felt her tremble.

"I thought you would want to…before…" Severus put a hand behind her neck, squeezing it gently.

Sarah nodded. "Do you have the key, sir?"

Severus fished into his pocket and placed the key in her hand. Sarah inserted the key and opened the door.

She wandered into the living room and sat down in the rocking chair, rocking it, a hand on each side, before rising to look at the pictures on the mantle, stepping on her tippy toes to grab them.

Severus cleared his throat. "Would you like to show me your room?"

"Yes" Sarah said and grabbed his arm, leading him down the hall, opening the closed door of her room.

Severus couldn't help but smile. Sarah's room had Grace's touches all over it from the pink walls, to the framed pictures, to the quilt, to the white furniture. Books lined a bookcase and dolls were around the room.

"It's nice, Sarah" Severus remarked. "Is pink your favorite color?" Sarah nodded.

"Do you think you would want to have another pink room?" He asked lightly.

"No" Sarah responded slowly. "I don't think so"

"What color would you like your room to be at my house?" Severus asked, sitting down on her bed as Sarah pushed over some dolls to sit on her chair.

"Yellow" Sarah said quickly. "You aren't going to get rid of my things are you, Uncle Sev?"

"No, of course not" Severus said, though added with a smirk, "though if one of your dolls happens to get lost along the way, I should not be held responsible"

"And, if I happen to break one of your potion ingredients by accident, of course, I shouldn't be held responsible" Sarah said with a challenge.

"And if that happens, you can count on me making you brew potions for hours each day, because I know how much you love to do so" Severus eyed her evilly and Sarah stuck out her tongue.

"I sometimes think you are the greasiest git in the world" Sarah said, rising and tossing her head. "I'm going to Mum's room" she said as she moved quickly to try to dodge Snape's swatting hand, but Severus was too quick for her and she got smacked anyways.

"Coming with me, Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked over her shoulder.

"Right behind you, Black" Severus said, a smile crossing his features.

Sarah wandered across the hall to Grace's room, but before she reached the door, she spun around and Severus, who was following close behind, almost toppled her.

"Will you go in first?" Sarah asked, suddenly not feeling very brave.

"Of course" Severus put a hand on each shoulder. "It's ok to be sad in there, Sarah."

"I know, Uncle Sev" Sarah gave him a small smile and in a move that perhaps surprised both of them, Severus grabbed one of Sarah's small hands in his large hand, opening the door and leading her inside.

"It doesn't look very different" Sarah said with a sigh.

"I only sorted through a few of your mum's things. I tried not to disturb anything." Severus explained, squeezing her hand, before letting it go.

Sarah plopped down on the bed, turning on to her stomach, burying her head in one of Grace's pillows.

"It still smells like Mum" Sarah mumbled.

"Sarah" Severus sat down next to her and put a hand on her back. "I need to know which of your mum's things you want and which you want me to give away."

Sarah rolled over onto her back. "Mum used to let me sleep in here with her when I was little. My last night here, I crawled into her bed, unable to sleep in my bed. She didn't care, she just held me. I guess she knew" Sarah finished quietly and Severus was amazed by the level of psychological understanding Sarah had.

Sarah used her hands to push herself off of the bed. Walking over to Grace's closet, she pulled out a box.

"I want mum's wedding dress" Sarah said. "She looked so happy when she married Dad"

"Alright, anything else?" Severus asked.

"Mum's black dress and some of her jewelry," Sarah responded. "And the rocking chair in the living room and the pictures" she paused.

"Done" Severus stood. "By the way, I've seen your mum's black dress and you aren't wearing that until you are much, much older- probably my age."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "It doesn't exactly fit now, does it? I just always loved that dress and I want to have it. You aren't going to start telling me what I can wear and can't wear, right?"

"I think that is a discussion for later" Severus responded dryly. "But I will give you this- you will be dressing like the respectable young lady that you are becoming"

Sarah groaned, but then decided to change the subject, "Oh, yeah, and I want her wand"

Severus smirked at Sarah's attempt to change the subject. "You do know that the wand chooses the wizard, do you not?" he asked.

"So, I wouldn't be able to use it if I need to?" she looked puzzled.

"No, you would be able to, but it wouldn't be as effective as your own" he explained. "But you can have it if you wish"

"I do want it" Sarah said with finality.

"Alright, do you need a few more minutes or are you ready to go to the Weasleys?"

"I'm ready" Sarah said giving her mum's room another look. "Thanks for bringing me, Uncle Sev"

"You're welcome" Severus responded.

--

Sarah spent a fabulous week with the Weasleys. Severus took Molly aside and explained the situation. Molly assured him that Sarah would be fine and she was more than capable of dealing with children's bad dreams. "The poor dear" Molly told her husband Arthur that night. "I can't imagine what she faced with _you know who_. To think Quirrell used the unforgivable on that little girl. After all she has gone through this year." She shook her head mournfully.

Sarah shared a room with Ginny and she found that she and the youngest Weasley shared a lot in common. She was actually quite fun. They stayed up late, talked and played games that first night when they were supposed to be sleeping.

The next day, Fred and George announced that it was time to play Quidditch. "Come along, Ronnie" George said, throwing an arm around his brother. "Grab your broom"

"Sarah, you brought your broom, right?" Fred asked.

"Wait a minute" Ginny's eyes narrowed. "You never let me play Quidditch with you"

Sarah paused. "Why don't you let Gin play with you guys?"

"Because she is a girl" Ron said with a mumble.

"What do you think I am?" Sarah said, smacking Ron on the head.

"It's different" George interceded. "You're our guest."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Look, Ginny probably can fly better than me. I'm a terrible flyer."

"No kidding" Ron said. "She really is bad, guys"

"She's playing Quidditch with us" Fred said with a dismissive hand. "We'll go easy on you."

Sarah turned her blue eyes on Fred. "Ginny can play too?"

"Maybe just this once, but if you get hurt, Ginny, and Mum has our hide…"

Sarah smiled warmly at him. "I hope Ginny kicks your butt"

"You're on my team, so she would be kicking our butt" Fred said smartly.

Sarah rolled her eyes and Ginny, Ron and George did win, but Sarah scored three goals and only almost fell of her broom twice, a new record for her. Tired and exhausted, the children sat down by the pond, lying on their backs.

"That was a good game" Ron said huffing. "You could fly really well if you just practiced. Maybe Snape will let you this summer."

"I almost fell off of it twice" Sarah said glumly. "Snape would have yelled to be more careful"

"Yeah, but you scored three goals, Sarah" Ginny added. "And George was blocking you- that was good"

"Thanks" Sarah smiled and rolled onto her stomach, resting her head to the side. "You fly well Ginny. How did you learn how to do that?"

"Yeah, Gin" George said, "How did you manage to do that?"

Ginny shook her head. "I'm not telling."

That set off a round of arguments between Ginny and George and Ron. The sun was beating down on them, and it was becoming hot, especially after the quidditch game. Sarah closed her eyes, getting sleepy after the exercise. She didn't notice when Fred sat up, and certainly didn't notice the gleam in his eyes. Fred stood up and then bent down to scoop Sarah up and hoisting her over his shoulder.

"Fred Weasley" Sarah squealed "What are you doing?" She realized they were headed towards the pond. "No, Fred, Stop" Sarah slapped her arms against his back, but laughing Fred threw her into the pond anyways before jumping in after her.

"You prat" Sarah scolded. "I'm going to get you back" But she was giggling too hard to look intimidating. She tried to dunk him under the water, but Fred just ended picking her up and throwing her again. They were soon joined by Ron, George, and Ginny and they had a water fight, before climbing up and drying off in the sun.

"What is your mum going to say about us being all wet?" Sarah asked with worry.

"Mum doesn't care" Ron assured her. "She only fusses if one of us gets hurt and then she usually blames Fred and George."

Sarah laughed. "I wonder why"

Fred turned on his side, "Do you want to go in again, Miss Black?"

Sarah was saved by Mrs. Weasley calling them into lunch. She shooed them upstairs to change and dry off before feeding them sandwiches.

George slid into the seat beside Sarah and Fred was stuck in between Percy and Ginny.

"I have a proposition for you, Sarah," George said, biting off the end of his sandwich. "Fred has been asking for a prank for a long time. Would you like to help me?"

Sarah grinned. "Sure, what's the plan?"

"Leave it to me, we have to pick the perfect time" George whispered back and Sarah giggled.

The opportunity arose at dinner of the next night. That afternoon, George had slipped a tablet into her hands. "Slip this in his water tonight at dinner" He instructed.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Sarah asked, pocketing the tablet. "And what does it do?"

"Use your imagination" George responded. "And it will make his nose bleed in the middle of his meal. Quite unpleasant, but he should get a kick out of it."

At dinner that night, Percy was going on about his grades that they received that day. Sarah's grades had, of course, gone to Snape's. She was a little disconcerted over the whole ordeal, and Percy's endless ramblings about it didn't help. Fred and George got good marks to her dismay (how they managed that in the midst of their pranking eluded her) and even Ron's were decent.

About half way through the meal, Sarah noticed that Fred's glass of juice was empty, so she discreetly finished hers and turned to Mrs. Weasley who was discussing with Mr. Weasley the new law that the ministry had passed.

"May I please get up to get some more juice, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Of course, dear" Molly said with a smile. "What good manners"

Fred smirked and Molly reached over to smack him. "You could learn from her, young man- honestly, what am I going to do with you boys?"

Sarah got up and eyed Fred's empty glass. "Would you like to get you some too?"

"Please" Fred said handing her the empty glass.

"You should be getting Sarah some juice not the other way around, Fred." Mrs. Weasley scolded. "I raised you to be more of a gentleman than this"

"It's ok, really, Mrs. Weasley. I want too" Sarah assured her.

Molly gave her another smile and Sarah went into the kitchen. It was a good thing that she and Fred had different colored glasses; otherwise the plan might be ruined.

She pulled the tablet out of the pocket of her pants and plopped it into the glass. It fizzed like stomach medicine, but eventually settled down into the juice so you couldn't tell the difference. Sarah stomach knotted and she had to steel herself. She was sure Fred would be able to read it all over her expression. But when she handed him the glass looked straight at her and smiled, not discerning a thing.

George gave her a smile as well and Fred started to drink his juice. He apparently was thirsty because he drank the whole glass in mere minutes. Sarah waited to see what would happen. Suddenly, Fred grasped his nose as blood came gushing out. Sarah was just glad she finished her meal; otherwise, it would have been really gross.

"Fred, what on earth?" Molly started, handing him a handkerchief and keeping a firm grasp on his head, tilting it over as Fred began to laugh uncontrollably.

"It…worked…" Fred said between chuckles. "I… didn't…think…you…had… it…in…you"

The bleeding stopped in a few minutes and Fred lifted his head as Molly cleaned up the mess with a flick of her wand.

"I really don't understand why you would think a nosebleed is so funny" Molly said severely.

"You put it in my juice, Sarah, didn't you?" Fred said with a grin. "I really had no idea. That was wicked"

"Aren't you proud of our little Sarah?" George said with an arm around his brother. "We trained her well"

They forgot for a moment that their mum was sitting there, watching the whole interaction.

"Fred and George Weasley! Do you mean to tell me that you have corrupted this poor child into doing some of your tricks?" Molly's eyes flashed and Sarah ducked her head.

Ginny whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, Sarah, Mum will blame them. Just act innocent. It always works for me"

"Corrupted her?" Fred said, still laughing. "She is the one who put that tablet in my drink to make my nosebleed"

"She wouldn't have done it" Molly said with a hand on her hip as she shook a finger in their direction "If she didn't get the idea from you. I told you boys that you were not to drag any first years in on your pranks. And judging from your reaction this is not the first time. And you had to pick the niece of one of your professors? What will Professor Snape say when he realizes that his niece is a part of your foolishness? That sweet child…" Molly ranted.

Fred and George both snickered.

"Sweet is not the way" Fred began,

"We would describe her" George finished.

"Thanks guys" Sarah mumbled. "Mrs. Weasley, they didn't corrupt me"

Ginny elbowed her. "Shhh" she whispered, rolling her eyes.

"Now, Sarah" Molly began. "I know you wouldn't have even thought of doing such things if my sons hadn't put it into your mind. What would your uncle say?"

"Probably that I'm grounded" Sarah said, exchanging a glance with Ron. "Mrs. Weasley, the boys haven't corrupted me. It was inevitable."

Molly gave her a skeptical look. "What do you mean?"

"Hold on, I have to show you something" Sarah said, running up the steps to her room, to shuffle through the bottom of her trunk and retrieve the folder on her father. She ran back downstairs and handed the folder to Mrs. Weasley.

"What's this?" Molly shuffled through it.

"Filch's file on my father. It's large, isn't it?" Sarah said. "My father was pulling pranks long before Fred and George. And Uncle Sev always says that I have my father's genes when it comes to this" Sarah tugged at her braid. "So, I guess Mrs. Weasley, if anything, I have been corrupting your boys"

Mr. Weasley began to laugh. Fred and George joined in followed by Ginny and Ron. Percy had long since left to go to his room, annoyed at the scene in front of him. Finally Molly began to chuckle.

"You… corrupting… my…sons" Molly said, reaching over to give an affective pat on Sarah's face. "The thought of that"

--

The third night Sarah was at the Weasleys she had another one of her dreams. As she was crucioed over again, she woke up sobbing. Ginny had come over and sat on her bed, "Sarah, what is it?" she asked.

Molly Weasley quickly came into the room. Sarah didn't know how she could have actually heard her from in her room. "Did you have a bad dream dearie?"

Sarah nodded and tried to wipe away her tears with shaking hands. Molly sat down and brushed Sarah's damp hair off of her face. "Lean back against the headrest," she instructed gently. "Do you want to talk about it?" Molly asked kindly. Sarah shook her head no.

Molly nodded in understanding. "Sometimes I don't like to talk about my bad dreams too. But it helps knowing that someone is there. Would you like me to stay with you until you fall back asleep?"

"I'd like that." Sarah whispered. "I'm not sure how long it will take" her teeth chattering.

"It takes as long as it takes." Molly said quietly. "Ginny, dear, go back to sleep. We are fine here. Here, drink some water" she handed her a glass. "Now, lay back down," she instructed and reached down to cover her with the sheet she had kicked off, tucking her in. She sat on the edge of her bed, and began to rub her back in a motherly fashion.

"My mum used to do this" Sarah said softly. "Whenever I had a bad dream, she would sit up with me until I went back to sleep." Her emotions still raw from the dream made thoughts of her mother draw near. "I wonder if Uncle Sev will stay up with me"

"I know you miss your mother, Sarah," Molly said soothingly. "But I'm sure your uncle will stay up with you like your mother would."

Sarah nodded sleepily. She was shaking less and less, instead focusing on Molly's steady hand. "He's different with me. He's nice."

"Sometimes, people put on a show for other people, but on the inside they are different from what they seem like on the outside," Molly reflected.

"Uh huh" Sarah said as she drifted off to sleep "Snape is a prat on the outside, but really nice on the inside."

Molly laughed, kissing the child's head, as the she fell back asleep.

Sarah slept well into the morning. Molly told the boys that she had a bad dream last night and it kept her up. Fred and George looked at each other knowing just what to do to cheer their friend up. After Sarah woke up and ate breakfast (almost lunch, it was that late in the morning), Fred and George pulled her aside.

"What is it?" Sarah whispered at their frantic motions to be quiet.

"We have something we want to show you," Fred whispered back. "But you are sworn to secrecy."

"You can't tell another soul," George said. "Promise you on your stuffed dog, what's his name anyways?"

"You want me to promise on Paddy!" Sarah whispered loudly. "How did you know about Paddy?"

"Lavender Brown has a big mouth" Fred smiled. "We know about all the first year's stuffed toys. When you get to second year, you stop bringing them. We sometimes tease first years about it, but we stopped with you."

George nodded seriously, "Promise on Paddy, Sarah. If you tell, Paddy becomes ours"

Sarah wrinkled her nose at the thought of the twins holding her beloved stuffed dog hostage and Fred and George laughed at her reaction. "Ok, I promise on Paddy that I will not tell a soul"

"Good enough" Fred said leading her quietly up the stairs. They were tip-toeing into the hall until they came to the door of the twin's room. "Sarah Black, welcome to our workshop"

Sarah looked at the room with awe. The twins had truly created an informal workshop in their room. There were bottles and odds and ends. She rushed in the room "Show me!" she said excitedly, bouncing up and down.

Fred laughed. "Patience, Sarah. All in due time"

Fred and George led her into their room and began showing her the different joke products they had created. They even tested a few on her and they watched gleefully as Sarah squealed and giggled.

"Ok, that's enough" Fred said sternly, "We are finished being corrupted by you, young lady!" He shook a finger in her direction and the three of them got overcome by another round of laughter, which left Sarah rolling on the floor.

--

The rest of the week was filled with more laughter and more Quidditch. Sarah, never having brothers or sisters, absolutely loved being around the Weasley family and Molly treated her like one of her kids- making sure she was eating her food, mildly scolding her for her mischief with the boys, and giving her lots of affection. In that week, Sarah absolutely thrived. She was disappointed that the week went by so quickly and that Snape was coming over to pick her back up. Molly, sensing Sarah's spirits were down, sent the children outside to play one more Quidditch game. While Sarah wasn't a natural on a broom, Ron was right, she was becoming better with practice, though she wouldn't take too many risks. After the game, they reluctantly came back inside.

Severus was shocked to see how rosy Sarah's cheeks were and how easily she was laughing and joking around with the Weasleys. One would have never guessed what the child had gone through in the past year. She stopped when she saw her uncle.

"Uncle Sev" Sarah rushed forward to give him a hug and Ron's eyes nearly popped out from surprise when Snape responded by bending down and patting her on the back. From class, one would have never guessed that Snape actually cared about his niece. He treated her with such indifference; it was always surprising to witness any type of affection coming from Snape of all people.

"It's good to see you, Sarah" Severus responded. "Are you ready to go?"

Sarah nodded, before turning to the Weasleys. First, she gave Ginny a hug and promised to owl. She managed to give Ron an awkward hug and admonished him that he better write her too. Next was George, who whispered that he hoped there would be many more partnerships teaming up against Fred, which caused Sarah to giggle. Fred squeezed her tightly and told her that she better owl if Snape was being a prat. Finally, Sarah went over to Mrs. Weasley to give her a hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley" Sarah said, holding her tightly.

"Anytime, Sarah" Molly said, "Maybe you can come later in the summer if your uncle agrees."

"We will see. Thank you for taking care of her. I trust that Sarah was well behaved, Molly?" Severus asked.

"She was an angel" Molly responded to the snickers of everybody in the room, including a snort from Snape.

"I seriously doubt that" Severus said.

"Make sure she eats her vegetables" Molly said, an affectionate arm still around her. "And that she gets enough fresh air"

"I will" Snape responded, trying desperately not to roll his eyes.

"And that she actually goes to bed when she is supposed to" Molly added, giving Sarah another pat.

"Believe me, she will" Snape responded severely. "Let's go, Black"

Sarah gave Molly one last hug, before taking the floo powder from Snape.

"Um, what do I say, Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked just as she was about to throw down the floo powder.

"Snape Manor" Snape responded with a smirk.

Giving one last look at the Weasleys, Sarah threw down the floo powder.

"Snape Manor" she said clearly.


	24. A New Home

A/N: Sorry, it's been a while since the last update- I was on vacation. But now I am back. Like the last chapter, this chapter is much lighter through out most of it. But at the same time, I think that Sarah and Sev are making great progress in their relationship. Let me know if you think the same. Hope you enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: don't own, never have, never will.

**Chapter 24: A New Home**

Sarah stepped out of the fireplace first. Snape was close on her heels with her trunk that he had shrunk in his hands. All of the sudden, she felt nervous and out of place as she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She knew that she would be coming home from school and living with Snape, but now the reality had set in. _She would be living here_. Snape would be in charge of her. She knew that he would take care of her- she had learned that from the past year. Yet, she knew that he would be a lot stricter about some things than her mum had been. She had certainly learned that the hard way this year. But she wasn't worried about that. What worried her most about this whole arrangement was that she wouldn't have anybody to talk to. The things that she could go and talk to her mum about, she was sure she wouldn't want to talk to Snape about like if her stomach hurt, or if she had a fight with one of her friends, or if she was worried about something. And the blissfulness she had felt at the Weasleys faded as an extreme shyness overtook her.

Snape put a hand on her shoulder, sensing the sudden tension in the room. "Sarah, turn around" he instructed and when she complied, he continued, "I realize that this must be strange for you, but this is your home now. I want you to feel comfortable not only here, but with me. It is going to be an adjustment for us both, but I feel with time, we will get used to each other. Look at how much progress we have already made from your first potions class."

Sarah wrinkled her nose at the memory and somehow Snape's reassurances made her feel more at ease. "You mean when you were a complete…."

"Careful, Black" Severus said sternly, "I think what you meant to say is that when you were a cheeky, disrespectful…"

"Careful, Uncle Sev" Sarah interrupted with a smirk and Snape couldn't help but laugh.

"I take it back, Black. You still are a cheeky, disrespectful, frustrating little…"

"But it's different now" she offered a smile.

"Indeed" Snape gave her a pat. "Now stop interrupting. It's rude"

"Yes, sir" Sarah looked around the room. It was very simple with tan walls and a green couch and matching arm chairs. There was a bookcase by the wall and several books lined its shelves. It looked comfortable like a place where people would come to sit down and relax. "Do you usually sit in this room?" Sarah asked.

"I do, especially at night. Here, why don't I give you the tour?" Snape pocketed Sarah's miniature trunk. "This is the room where, as you know, the floo fireplace is" He took her elbow and led her out the room across a foyer and into a much larger dining room. "Here is the dining room" The walls were deep blue and offset the dark wood furniture. "This furniture has been in the Prince family for generations" Severus commented.

"So, this house…?" Sarah asked, looking around at the formal dining room.

"Was part of my inheritance. Even though my mother was estranged from her family when she married my father, my grandparents never took my mother out of their will" Severus answered her question. "Thus, the house was a part of my inheritance and will be a part of yours one day. Of course, when I acquired it, I changed the name from Prince Manor to Snape Manor. It makes it feel more like my home."

"That is unless you get married and have children of your own" Sarah said, fingering the wood.

Severus nearly choked. "While I don't anticipate that happening, the house will be apart of your inheritance, Sarah, regardless of what may happen in the future. But come, enough talk" He motioned to her to follow down a hallway. "Here is the kitchen" Severus opened the door and allowed her to enter. "which reminds me, you are still flushed from your exercise this morning." Severus waved his wand and conjured a glass of water, handing it to her. "Drink it slowly, Sarah" he advised as Sarah began to gulp. "Slower Black" he scolded.

When she was finished, Severus extended his hand and Sarah put the empty glass in it. He walked over to the sink and placed it in it. "Let's continue" Severus led her to a room with a closed door. "Here is my study. You are allowed to go in here anytime you wish, however, if the door is closed, I would prefer you knock" He opened the door for her and they entered a room with wood paneling. Snape's desk loomed large and bookcases lined the room. A couch was against one wall and against another was a door, which was also closed. Sarah studied the closed door. "What's in there?" she asked.

"Sit down Sarah" Severus said, motioning to the couch. "I want to discuss with you the door" Sarah sat down on the couch and waited. Snape took a seat in his desk chair, drumming his hands on his desk, before looking up to meet her eyes.

"Behind that door are my lab and an attached potions storage room. Under no circumstances are you to enter this room without my permission or instruction." Severus gazed at her steadily. He didn't sound angry, just stern and matter-of-fact. Still, Sarah wondered why he would think that she would need such an admonishment within 10 minutes of entering Snape's home. Did he really think she was that bad?

Sarah frowned at his expression. "Why would you think I would want to touch your potions?" she asked. "I hate potion making, you know that."

"I do" Severus answered slowly, his expression not yielding. "However, you have a habit of doing things you are not supposed to"

Sarah jumped up, indignant. "Snape, that's not fair!" She scowled, a rosy tinge flooding her face.

Still Snape didn't falter nor rise. "Is it?" he asked sternly from his chair. "You may not wish to admit it, but you spent most of the last semester in trouble with me"

Sarah crossed her arms. "Well…that's…because…you wouldn't let me get away with anything!" She spluttered.

"Yes, blame me, Black" Severus said. "I'm the only one who will actually hold you accountable for your actions."

Sarah was on a verge of angry tears now, but she managed to hold it together. "And if I go into your precious potions storage room?" She had no desire and doubt that she would ever have any desire, but she had this inexplicable longing to push and see how far he would go, frustrated that he was so calm and matter of fact about the whole situation.

Severus rose swiftly, sideswiped his desk, to stand looming over her. "You will not"

"And if I do?" Sarah challenged, standing her ground.

"You will not" Severus growled, a harsher tone taking over, but still there was an eerie calmness to his demeanor.

"Yet, what if I do?" Sarah's eyes narrowed, crossing her arms tighter.

"You will not like what will happen, I can assure you" Severus replied, not moving an inch.

"_What does that mean_, Snape?" Sarah insisted, with a reckless wave of her hand.

"_Enough_. Touch my potions ingredients without my permission, or even go into that room without my permission or instruction, and I would spank you" Severus's voice remained even, but the edge to it was undeniable.

Sarah laughed. "No, you wouldn't" Sarah responded with a disbelieving shake of her head. "I'm not a little kid and I've done a lot worse than touch your potions ingredients and all you have done are yelled, scolded, and grounded me. That doesn't make any sense" she concluded. "You are just trying to scare me into thinking you would"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Try me."

Sarah cocked her head to one side and Severus continued, "There is no reasoning when it comes to my potions, Sarah. Surely you must know that by now."

She studied him carefully and she saw that he was quite serious. Realizing that Snape didn't mess around when it came to his potions, she sank to the couch and mumbled, "I wasn't going to touch it anyways"

Severus sat down next to her. "I'm very glad to hear that."

"So why are you so protective of your potions?" Sarah asked, her anger weaning, only left with curiosity.

"For several reasons" Snape replied. "One, they are mine. I have spent a long time acquiring certain ingredients that I might need at any moment. Think for a moment, Sarah, what do you treasure the most?"

Sarah flushed. "Paddy- I have had him forever. It's special because Harry's parents gave him to me."

"And yet, when I look at Paddy, I see a torn up old stuffed dog" Severus replied, his hand reaching out tap her arm. "Even so, I would not throw away Paddy with the garbage or tear it apart and use the cloth for rags." Severus raised another eyebrow and Sarah nodded.

"So, I shouldn't touch your potions because they matter to you" Sarah said, leaning back on the couch cushions and crossing her legs underneath her.

"That is correct. The second reason, the most important reason, is your safety. There are some dangerous ingredients and when not handled properly could put your life at risk. I will not have that happening"

"I'm not trying to be a…" Sarah paused, searching for the word, "brat, but I really want to know. I put my life in danger by going after Quirrell and you haven't said _two words_ about _that_."

Severus was taken aback that Sarah would open that door with him. But perhaps, this was a good thing to reassure her that he didn't simply look the other way when it came to her behavior that night. He studied her carefully, before responding to her comment. "Do you want me to spank you?" he asked calmly. "For putting your life in danger?"

"_No_!" Sarah replied quickly, scooting over away from Sev, who rolled his eyes and reached out to scoot her back towards him. "Of course not, you just- I mean, _don't you care_? Shouldn't you yell or ground me?"

"Sarah" Snape sighed. "Professor McGonagall said that you tried to come to me, but both myself and the Headmaster were away and when questioned, she sent you outside to play. Granted you should have followed those directions, but I was relieved to learn that you did try to get adult assistance."

"I still went after Quirrell" Sarah argued, tears prickling her eyes.

Severus sighed again, but this time, he pulled his niece up to stand in front of him, making sure he had her full attention. "Look at me, Sarah" He put a hand on each of her arms and held her gaze with his eyes. "I think the natural consequence of your action far outweighs any consequence I could give you. You will have to live with those for the rest of your life. Make no mistake, I do care that you did that. I care a great deal. You could have died, Sarah."

"But someone had to prevent Voldemort from returning!" Sarah cried.

Severus grip on her arms tightened. "And you are a child! That person shouldn't have been you or Harry, Sarah! You are still learning and growing and cannot handle what adult wizards can; to think that you can is foolish and dangerous."

Sarah lowered her head and Severus could tell that she felt guilty. "I just wanted to help and protect Harry."

Severus raised her chin, gripping it. "I understand that, child, but it is not your job to protect Harry. It is our job."

"Will you protect Harry?" Sarah asked quietly.

Severus looked in her eyes. "Yes, I will"

"But you hate him" Sarah whispered. "The way you treat him in class, the way you treat me in class…"

"I understand how this is hard for you to understand, Sarah, but the Dark Lord will return and when he does, I will have to answer for these past years. I can't treat Harry any differently because if I do, it will put several people's life in danger. I can't be partial to you. Only a few people can know that in fact, I don't hate you and am not burdened by my guardianship of you."

Sarah tried to wiggle out of Snape's grasp, but he pulled her closer. "I don't see you that way. I see you as a blessing- an annoying one sometimes, but one all the same. I want you here. I want to raise you the way your mum would want you to be raised. And I want to make up for the lost time. Things aren't going to be easy, Sarah. You have to learn to respect and trust me and stop fighting me at every moment"

Sarah bit her lip and her face creased in worry.

"What do you worry about most, Sarah?" Severus asked gently.

"What if I have a problem, but it's more personal?" Sarah asked. "I could always talk to mum about things"

"I want you to feel like you can come to me with your problems." Severus said. "I can't promise that I won't get angry or that there won't be consequences if you are in trouble, but I would much rather you come to me then you lie to me or keep things from me. That is what I mean by trust"

"But it's not even that" Sarah said.

"Then what is it?" Severus asked.

"What if my stomach is upset?" Sarah asked. "Or I'm sick?"

"Then you come to me and tell me that your stomach hurts and I get you some potions. If you are sick, I will take care of you. I did that once before if you will recall" Severus responded and then paused for a moment. "If it is another…um…female problem that you need to speak to Mrs. Weasley about, I'm sure she could help you. And in time, when you don't feel good during those times, you can tell me that you need potions and I can have some on hand that can take a care of those symptoms. Have…you…um…" he took a breath, "had any of those problems yet?"

Sarah's face flamed and she cringed. "Not yet". Severus nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "Your mum was thirteen when it happened for her" he remarked. "There, that wasn't so bad was it?" Severus asked lamely, giving her an awkward smile and Sarah couldn't help but laugh. As hard as it would be for her to talk about those things with him, it would be even harder for him to talk about those things with her.

"Can I see my room, please?" Sarah asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Absolutely" Severus said with a smile. Sarah turned around but she stopped as Severus smacked her. It didn't really hurt but it was a lot firmer than the occasional playful swats he tended to give her. "What was that about?" She asked as she turned around.

"For putting your life in danger" Severus replied.

"I told you that I didn't think I needed you to spank me for that" Sarah replied with a frown, a whine creeping into her voice.

"I know" Severus said "I decided that you didn't mean it. Feel better?"

"Loads" Sarah responded sarcastically.

"Good" Severus rose. "You understand about my potions?" he asked again "and putting your life in danger?"

"Yep" Sarah nodded. "I won't go near your potions ever"

Severus smirked evilly. "Well, I wouldn't say ever, Sarah Grace. You will be helping me in my potions lab this summer. One potion a day until I feel you are competent in the subject"

Sarah turned around, horrified.

"Oh, and Draco is coming to visit- I thought you should know, but we will talk about that later" Severus continued as Sarah opened her mouth to protest. "Let's go look at your room" With that, Severus swept out of the room, leaving Sarah no choice but to follow. He went up the stairs, slowing down only slightly for Sarah to catch up with him. On the second door to the right, he stopped and twisted the knob. He opened the door and allowed her to enter before him. She turned her head, "Uncle Sev, about Draco" Sarah started, but Severus responded with a "Hush. We will talk about it later. Look at your room"

Sarah turned her head back so she could see her room. Pale yellow splashed the walls, the furniture was dark wood with a double bed in the middle of the room. A quilt with blue and yellow flowers covered the bed, Paddy sitting on top. Her dolls were on a bookshelf mixed with books. Pictures lined the top of her dresser. Sarah walked over to look at them, picking up the picture of her and her mum, days before her death. A few pictures from her mum's album were put in frames. Lacy white curtains covered the windows.

Sarah turned to her uncle in shock. "You did this?"

Severus's mouth twitched. "No, Narcissa Malfoy."

Sarah's mouth dropped. "Draco's mother?"

"Narcissa is a close personal friend. I dare say she enjoyed the task, or at least ordering what she wanted and having other people do it for her. I always thought she would have wanted a little girl, but after Draco- her pregnancy was difficult. Do you like it Sarah?"

"I do, it's beautiful. Thank you" She walked over and hugged her uncle.

"I thought it should be nice, considering how much time you are likely to spend in here grounded" Severus remarked and though Sarah's eyes fired up at the comment she saw that her uncle was teasing.

"You're teasing me" Sarah responded with a smack on his arm.

Severus smiled. "Yes, I am, though I'm sure there is some truth to it"

"Probably" Sarah said with a dramatic sigh. "Lucky me that I got stuck with the strictest guardian in the world"

"Speaking of that" Severus reached in to his pocket, pulled out her trunk, sat it on the floor and enlarged it. "Let's unpack your trunk and then we can have some lunch."

Severus and Sarah spent the next hour unpacking her trunk and getting organized. After eating, Severus suggested that they go into his study.

"I suppose you are eager to see your grades from last term?" he asked as he went to his desk drawer to retrieve the unopened envelope.

Sarah plopped down onto the couch, her stomach in knots. "Not really" she mumbled. "you didn't open them?"

"No, I thought you should be the first one to see them. After all, they are your grades" Severus replied. "However, once you have looked at them, you will hand them to me" He walked over to hand Sarah the envelope.

"Uncle Sev, I'm really tired. Can we do this later?" Sarah didn't reach forward to take the extended envelope.

"You may take a nap after you open your grades" Severus responded patiently. "Usually, it is best just to get it over with"

Sarah groaned, shooting her uncle one more pleading look. He shook his head and thrust the envelope in her direction. She grabbed it and tore it open, scanning the grades.

**Sarah Grace Black, first year grades**

_Transfiguration- O_

_Charms- O_

_Herbology- E_

_Potions- A_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts- O_

_History of Magic- E_

_Congratulations! You have passed on to second year. _

"Well?" Severus asked and Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "It's alright, I guess" she mumbled but Severus noticed that she blinked several times and turned her face away from him. Startled, he reached for the paper.

"This is excellent, Sarah" Severus began, but Sarah cut him off. "It's alright. I don't want to talk about it. Can I go take a nap? I'm really tired."

Severus frowned, still staring at the paper, trying to discern the source of Sarah's disappointment. The only average grade was Potions, yet Sarah must have been expecting that.

"What are you upset about, Sarah?" he asked.

"Nothing" Sarah wiped at her eyes. "I'm fine. May I be excused?"

Severus nodded his consent, but as Sarah reached the door, she stopped at her uncle's words. "I'm here when you are ready to talk about it, Sarah, but your grades are very good. I want you to know that"

--

After dinner that night, when they were sitting in the living room, Severus surprised Sarah by handing her a rather large bag.

"What's this?" Sarah asked curiously, taking the bag from his hands.

"Open it and find out" Severus commanded and Sarah reached into the bag to pull out a set of books.

"The Chronicles of Narnia!" Sarah exclaimed as she grinned, running her hands along the boxed set of hardbacks. Severus smiled at her reaction, glad that she had perked up since taking her nap.

"I thought that we could start reading after dinner. We could go through the series together" Severus suggested. "If that is ok with you. I know you were going to read through the series with your mum."

Sarah's eyes sparkled with excitement, but Severus wasn't prepared for her jumping up and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you, Uncle Sev"

Severus patted her back. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like the idea. Shall we begin?"

Sarah nodded as Severus opened the first book, _The Magician's Nephew. _"How about I read a few pages and then you read a few pages?" Severus suggested.

"That sounds great. You start" Sarah said nudging his arm, as she snuggled closer to him. And Severus was very pleased with himself that his idea had been such a success.

--

Bedtime proved to be another adjustment for Sarah, as Severus set the time strictly at 9:00. Sarah had protested when Severus suggested she take a bath at 8:30 on two fronts: 1) it was too early and 2) she didn't need a bath.

"It's not too early" Severus explained. "You need your rest. You are still growing"

"But I don't have any place to go in the morning" Sarah argued.

"Yes" Severus answered. "But I am not letting you waste away the morning in bed. Therefore, bed early so you aren't entirely grumpy in the morning"

"I'm never grumpy" Sarah retorted, but giggled at Severus's smirk. "Ok, so maybe, I can be, but still. You're grumpy too. What time are you going to bed?"

"That, _child_" Severus emphasized the word, "is none of your business" Severus pushed her in the direction of the bathroom.

"But I took a shower yesterday" Sarah said as she opened her dresser drawer to pull out a clean pair of pajamas.

"You are to take one every day" Severus instructed firmly.

"Some days I just don't feel like taking a shower" Sarah said.

"But you are going to anyways" Snape finished for her. "There are towels in the bathroom."

Sarah pouted but headed towards the bathroom.

"Is there shampoo and soap?" she asked and Snape nodded. "Do they smell good?"

Severus paused. "What?"

Sarah repeated her question.

"I don't know- they don't have any smell" Snape rolled his eyes, beginning to become exasperated. "Just go take a shower"

"They don't have any smell- that's impossible, they have to have some smell" Sarah responded. "What's the point of taking a shower if it doesn't smell good?"

Severus considered this. "So, you want shampoo and soap that smells like flowers or something of that sort?"

Sarah nodded. "If I have to get clean, I want to smell like something nice" Sarah's tone implied that this was the most obvious thing and she couldn't believe that he has never thought about it before.

Severus groaned inwardly, wishing for a minute that Sarah was a boy. He was sure boys didn't care what their shampoo and soap smelled like.

"Wiggles" Severus called out and Sarah gasped as a house elf popped into the room.

"Wiggles wondered when Master Snape would introduce her to Young Mistress Sarah" Wiggles said solemnly, studying the girl carefully. "Young Mistress Sarah looks like Mistress Grace." Wiggles wiped away a few tears with the sleeve of her dress. "Mistress Grace was always so kind"

"She does resemble Gracie" Severus conceded. "Sarah, this is Wiggles. She has been in our family for years. Thank Merlin, otherwise, we might not eat"

"It's very nice to meet you" Sarah said with a smile, glad that Severus seemed distracted. Maybe this would allow her to stay up later.

Wiggles grew wide-eyed and Sarah looked at Severus quizzically. "We will discuss proper decorum later, Sarah" he whispered.

"Wiggles, Sarah is being very naughty about taking her bath." Severus told the house elf and Sarah scowled at him.

"I am not" Sarah crossed her arms. "I just simply asked a question"

"Do we have any shampoo and soap that smells?" Severus asked the house elf.

Wiggles looked thoughtful. "Of course, Mistress Sarah wants shampoo and soap that smells good. I have just the thing" Wiggles opened up her hand to reveal a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of soap. "Does this suit, Mistress?"

Sarah smelled the lavender scented shampoo and soap. "That smells wonderful, thank you" Sarah responded with a smile.

"There now, march" Severus pushed her in the direction of the shower. Sarah complied, taking a hot shower and changing into her pajamas. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, getting ready for bed. When she went into her room, she saw her uncle lying on her bed flipping through a potions journal.

"What should I do about my hair?" Sarah asked as she threw her dirty laundry in the hamper. "I can't use magic outside of school."

"I'll do it" Severus replied, sitting up and drying her hair with a flick of his wand.

"Thank you" She responded, reaching for her hair brush to brush it before bed. Severus watched her brush through her long tresses. Sarah walked to where her uncle was sitting on her bed. She held out a piece of her hair. "Smell" she commanded.

Sev rolled his eyes, but smelled her hair.

"Well?" Sarah asked innocently.

"It smells very nice" Severus conceded.

Sarah grinned in triumph. "See?"

"Nice, but unnecessary" Severus said and Sarah groaned again.

"Maybe you should try it sometime" Sarah raised an eyebrow so Severus caught her meaning.

"So, I can smell girly like you?" Sev asked. "Never" A mischievous look took over. It had been a day of ups and downs and suddenly Sev was feeling very carefree, a feeling that he hadn't felt in the longest time. He reached over and tickled his young niece. "Silly, Sarah" he scolded and Sarah squealed trying to escape the tickling. "What did you say again?" he asked.

"I…said…maybe…you…should try it" Sarah wiggled some more, but Severus was persistent.

Unable to suppress her laughter, she changed her strategy and reached back to tickle him, but it only intensified his efforts which left Sarah begging for him to stop.

"Had enough?" Severus asked and Sarah nodded, so he released her only to find her retaliating, taking the moment to get an advantage in the tickling war.

"How very Slytherin of you, Miss Black" Severus replied through his rumbling laughter, before pinning her arms in her shock of his comment. "That's enough. Time for bed"

"That was not Slytherin, Snape" Sarah insisted, sliding off the bed to stand up.

Severus winked. "Could have fooled me, Black. I think I will appeal to Dumbledore to sort you again" he said as he pulled back the covers.

"Very funny, Uncle Sev"

"I thought so Black. But no, one act of Slytherin-ness does not make you a Slytherin. Unfortunately for the both of us, your Gryffindor tendencies come out loud and clear"

Sarah grinned. "You mean, fortunately for both of us- one of us has to be sane"

Severus shook his head. "And that would be me. In bed, Miss Sarah"

Sarah crawled into bed and Severus pulled the covers tightly around her. "It's early" Sarah groaned.

"You will get used to it" Severus responded, giving her a kiss on the head, before smoothing down her long hair. "When have you had a hair cut last?" Severus asked.

"It's been a really long time. Not since before mum died." Sarah said.

"We will have to fix that" Severus said. "Go to sleep"

"Leave a light on?" Sarah asked and Severus turned a nightlight on.

"You remember where my room is?" Severus asked. "If you have a bad dream, come and wake me up"

"Yes sir" Sarah rolled over on her side. "Good night, Uncle Sev"

"Good night, Sarah" He flicked off the lights and left the door cracked, just in case she would need him. And for the first time in the longest time, he actually felt satisfied with the direction his life was going.

_Coming Next_: Will Sarah survive a visit from Draco? Or more importantly, will Severus come through Draco's visit with his sanity still intact? Stay tuned.


	25. Draco Comes to Visit

A/N: Another chapter! Please review and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own. That by now should be obvious.

**Chapter 25- Draco comes to visit**

"Are we going to read?" Sarah asked as she tucked one leg underneath her and reached for _The Magician's Nephew_.

"In a moment" Severus took the book from her hands and placed it back on the table. Taking a deep breath, he sat next to her on the couch. "Draco is coming tomorrow, Sarah. He will be here for three weeks."

Sarah let out a long suffering sigh. "But he is going to ruin everything!" she complained, twisting her ponytail.

"Calm down" Severus put a hand on her knee. "And explain, but do so calmly and coherently"

"He is such a prat," Sarah groaned, "He _always_ acts like he is better than every one else. We are going to end up fighting the entire time and then you are going to be angry at me and I'm going to get grounded and I haven't been in trouble yet and I've tried so hard to be good but he's going to ruin it"

Severus fought a smile. "You have been exceptionally well behaved this past week, Black. You ate your vegetables, went to bed on time, followed directions, even only complained a bit when I made you brew potions. In fact, you seem like an entirely different child from this past year."

"I am trying, Uncle Sev, but he makes me so angry at times. Why does he have to come?"

Snape frowned. "He's my godson, Sarah. He always comes to spend time with me in the summer. It is a special time for both of us."

"You will always take his side like you do at school" Sarah argued, shuffling in her seat. "It will be the two of you against me."

"That's nonsense and you know it. I'll be fair. I have explained to you many times why I have to treat you the way I do at school" Severus tried to remain calm as he ran a hand through his hair. "As far as his treatment of you, I will deal with that as it comes up. However, young lady, it was Draco who found you after your mum died and Draco who brought you to me when you were afraid to come by yourself. He does have some good qualities lest you forget."

"And it was Draco who got me in trouble with you last spring" Sarah shook her head. "McGonagall would never have found us: it was Draco who followed us and then told on us. I was grounded for a really long time because of him" she sulked until she caught her uncle's eye, whose face had hardened considerably.

"Excuse me?" Severus asked icily. "Why did you get in trouble this spring, Sarah? Did Draco pull you out of bed and drag you to the top of the astronomy tower? Did Draco force you to lie to me before that? You were quite fortunate that I was so forgiving. If I had known that you would refuse to take responsibility for those actions, I might have thought twice about that"

There was silence and Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, contemplating Snape's words before responding. "It was my fault" she whispered, her face flaming. "I wouldn't have gotten caught if I wasn't out of bed"

Severus reached over to rest a hand on the back of her head, massaging it gently with his fingers and Sarah relaxed under his touch. "This will be a good lesson for you, Sarah" Severus's tone softened. "Draco can't make you do anything. You will either choose to get along or you can spend the next three weeks in trouble. Draco has the same choice. But I will not tolerate you being rude or ill behaved, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir" Sarah sighed. "Can we read now?"

Severus dropped his hand and opened the book. "Certainly, Black" He leaned back on the couch and Sarah scooted closer to him.

"I'm sorry, I blamed Draco. I know that makes you angry"

Severus wrapped an arm around her. "You're forgiven- just don't do it again. Let's read"

--

Draco arrived the next morning with Narcissa. Severus had wisely sent Sarah upstairs and assigned her a lengthy chapter of reading from an old potions textbook in addition to study guide questions, knowing it would keep her occupied for a time, while he dealt with Draco.

"Hi Uncle Sev" Draco greeted his godfather with a hug, throwing his bag on the floor carelessly.

"Good morning" Severus hugged him back before eying him sternly. "Draco, go pick up your bag and take it to your room. Then you can come back down and say goodbye to your mother."

Draco sighed. "Can't the house elves do it?" he mumbled, but at Severus's raised eyebrows, he quickly obeyed. As much as he loved spending time with Uncle Sev, his godfather didn't spoil him as much as his parents. Actually, his godfather didn't spoil him at all, quite the opposite. But all the same, Draco would rather have time with Snape, than with his father who only knew he existed when he had something to gain. As he turned the corner to go to his room, he ran smack into a body, knocking the person backwards and onto the floor.

Draco smirked when he saw who was sprawled out on the floor, scowling vigorously. "Black, how do you like your view from the floor?" he grinned.

Sarah's face grew red with anger. "YOU were the one who caused me to fall, Malfoy!" She managed to get the words out without yelling, but Draco could tell she was angry.

"Well, maybe you should watch where you are going Black" he suggested haughtily.

"And maybe you should stop being such a prat!" Sarah's voice raised several notches.

"Draco, darling, why don't you be a gentleman and help this young lady off the floor?"

Draco turned at his mother's voice. The children hadn't realized that Severus and Narcissa had seen the whole thing. Understanding his mum's pointed look, he reached his hand down to help Black up. Sarah took his hand and rose to her feet. She was still scowling at him fiercely as her uncle moved to stand beside her.

"Sarah, what do you say?" Severus waited, his hand gripping her arm.

Sarah rolled her eyes at her uncle's request but Snape squeezed her arm to show her he wasn't asking and that he had seen her eyes roll. She was sure she would be scolded for that later. "Thank you Draco" she managed to spit out.

"There now" Narcissa smiled as if everything was better, "Draco, continue on your way" She gave him a little push and turned to Sarah. "Sarah, it is nice to see you again. Severus, I simply can't believe how much she looks like Gracie, all except her eyes. They remind me of her father's except, his eyes were greyer not blue, but still light like hers"

His hand still on Sarah's arm, he nodded. "She does, thank you Narcissa. Sarah, I believe I told you that I wanted you to stay in your room this morning and work on the potions reading I gave you" Severus gave her a disapproving frown.

"I was reading, but I needed help" Sarah explained. "I didn't mean to bother you" Severus noticed that she stiffened and was surprised that there was a bit of hurt feelings in her tone.

"That's alright. You know you can come to me for help at anytime. Why don't you go back to your room and I will come up shortly to help you" Severus lightly squeezed her arm now, his tone gentler. "And Sarah, while you there, maybe you can get control of your attitude before our noontime meal."

"I will try, sir, but maybe I should have it in my room" Sarah suggested. "That would save us time"

Both adults looked at her surprised. "What do you mean, Sarah?" Narcissa asked.

"Because I'm sure I will end up there anyways today" Sarah said dramatically and while Severus wouldn't acknowledge it, he had a sneaking suspicion that she was right.

"Not if you behave. Go now, please, Sarah" Severus instructed firmly.

"Yes, sir, it's nice to see you again Mrs. Malfoy." Sarah gave a small smile at the blonde woman.

"Likewise" Narcissa smiled as Sarah left. She was half way up the stairs when she turned around.

"By the way, thanks for helping Uncle Sev do my room. It looks really nice. If it was up to him, he would have probably painted the whole thing black."

Cissy laughed at Severus's mocked scowl. "You're welcome child. I'm glad you like it" she replied as Sarah turned back around and disappeared up the stairs. "Severus, my dear, you will have your hands full. Why exactly do my son and your niece hate each other?" She looped her hand through his arm as they went back into the study.

Severus chuckled. "Besides the fact that one is in Gryffindor and the other is in Slytherin and they are both headstrong?"

Narcissa threw back her blonde head and laughed. "Good luck these few weeks. I do not envy you. I'll be thinking about you while Lucius and I are off on holiday."

"I'm truly touched by your consideration." Severus said dryly. "You did talk with Draco about Sarah, did you not?"

Cissy patted his arm. "Of course I did, Sev. Part of the deal was that Draco would keep your secret about how you feel about Sarah. He understands the implications, especially in regards to the Dark Lord's possible return. He loves you, Sev, he wouldn't do anything that would put your life in jeopardy, even if it means keeping your secret from his father."

Severus sighed. "Good."

Narcissa unhooked her arm to turn and face him. "Sev, I think Lucius is up to something. He is trying to find away to bring the Dark Lord back. I don't know the details but I have a feeling that this trip is going to help."

Severus groaned and reached to grab her hand. "Be careful, Narcissa. You need to watch your step. Whatever Lucius is attempting to do will probably be dangerous and I don't want you mixed up in that."

She laughed. "Oh, Sev, we made that choice many years ago to get mixed up. Now we will have to deal with that for the rest of our lives. But I will be careful. Don't worry about me. I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself"

Severus squeezed her hand. "I know better to doubt that you can take care of yourself. Still, Cissy, I don't know what I would do without you."

Narcissa smiled. "I do believe that taking care of Sarah has softened you, Sev. Now, don't look so offended, I didn't mean anything by it. It's nice to know that you value our friendship."

"I didn't realize you needed to be told that I value our friendship, Narcissa"

"I don't, but it is nice to hear it every once in a while anyways." She reached over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Have fun. I'll keep in touch" She gave him one last look, before turning and leaving.

--

"Now" Snape snarled "We are not going to have three weeks of the two of you fighting. You children will play nice, do you understand?"

After Narcissa had left, Severus requested both Sarah's and Draco's presence in his study. He sat them down and began lecturing right away.

Both children remained silent. "Black, Malfoy!" Severus growled.

Sarah crossed her arms. "I will, only if he does."

"You will even if he doesn't Black" Severus responded firmly.

"Fine" Sarah scrunched up her nose, disgusted at the entire conversation.

"Malfoy?"

"Now, Uncle Sev" Draco began smoothly. "Of course Black and I will play nice. We just had a misunderstanding this morning."

Severus looked at him suspiciously and Sarah simmered at his obvious attempt to get on Snape's good side.

"Good. I'm pleased to know that you are choosing to listen, Draco. Now after our meal, we are going to spend the afternoon in the potions lab. Wipe off that look from your face, Black" Snape said calmly, deciding to ignore whatever his godson was up to at the moment.

Draco smiled. "Good, Uncle Sev. That sounds wonderful." He responded politely.

Sarah's face was slowly becoming red and she clenched her hands in her lap. She knew that she couldn't sulk now that Malfoy had responded that way. She would sound like a spoiled brat and Uncle Severus would scold, which is really want Malfoy wanted to begin with. Why couldn't he see this?

"Wonderful" Sarah stammered, digging her nails into her skin and Draco smirked.

--

The noontime meal proved to be another test of Sarah's patience and Draco wasn't helping.

"Eat your brussels sprouts" Severus instructed as Sarah was swirling them around on her plate. Draco and he had finished a few minutes before, but Severus liked everyone to be finished before they left the table, so they were waiting on Sarah.

"Do I have to?" Sarah asked, fighting hard not to start to whine.

"Yes, you do. Go on now" Severus gave her a frown. "We aren't leaving the table until you do."

Draco groaned. "Just eat them Black. They aren't that bad. I ate all of mine."

"Well, good for you" Sarah responded with a shake of her head. "You can have mine"

She reached to dump them on his plate, but Severus was quick. In one motion he grabbed the plate, set it down, and swatted her hand.

"You are beginning to seriously try my patience, Sarah" Severus scolded. "Eat them now!"

Sarah reached for her fork, but she stopped as an idea dawned on her. If she didn't eat her brussels sprouts, then she couldn't leave the table. Maybe Snape would even send her to her room. And if she was sent to her room, then she wouldn't have to spend an afternoon in the potions lab. Brilliant!

She dropped her hand. "Well, I guess we will have to sit here all day because I'm not eating them!" she replied adamantly.

Severus bristled, but then paused, lacing his hands together. "That would be most unfortunate Black. I know how…_heartbroken_ you would be to miss our time in the potions lab. No, that would never do" He swept out of the room, leaving her stunned.

Draco smirked. "You got caught. You are in for it now. You should have just eaten them"

Sarah groaned. "Just shut it, ok?"

Snape returned with what looked like a glass of a thick, brown potion. He grabbed her hand, and wrapped it around the glass. "Drink" He gave her a look that Sarah had come to know well. Still, she shuddered at the thought of drinking what was in that glass.

She swallowed. "Can't I just eat…"

"Absolutely not" he replied. "You should have done so when you had the chance."

"What is it?" she knew that Snape's patience was thin, but she couldn't help but try to stall.

"It is a nutritional potion filled with the nutrients you would have gotten by eating your vegetables. Now, drink before I tilt your head back and pour it down your throat" he threatened and Sarah glanced at Malfoy who was giving her a smug look.

Sarah closed her eyes, gripping the glass. Taking a deep breath, she drank the potion. She could only drank half of it before gagging. "I can't drink anymore, Snape, I swear"

"Don't swear. Drink some water" Snape handed her a glass of water. Sarah took the water gratefully and drank the whole glass. "Now finish it"

Sarah groaned and Draco responded. "You should have drunk all of it at once" He told her. "That would have gotten it over with"

"Stop it!" Sarah glared, picking up the glass in her anger and drank the rest of it. Severus conjured more water for her to drink.

"That was the most disgusting potion you have ever made me drink" Sarah scrunched up her nose.

"Well, that's the point of it" Severus said with a pat. "Well, I suppose we can all leave the table now. It's time to brew some potions" Severus put his arm around her. "Next time, just eat your vegetables, Black. Draco knows that from first hand experience, but he whined a whole lot more than you and ended up grounded"

"Uncle Sev!" Draco protested and Sarah smiled.

--

"No, Black. You have to stir three times counter clockwise, not clockwise." Malfoy reached over to grab her arm to stop her.

Sarah yanked her arm away from him. "Does it really matter?" She huffed angrily.

Severus didn't look up from the potion he was brewing. "It does. It changes the consistency, which is why your potion was so runny on your exam" he said absently engrossed in his potion making.

"Snape!" Sarah exclaimed as Malfoy chuckled. She knew she was bad at potions, her grade certainly reflected that, but she wasn't about to let him make fun of her for it.

Sarah glared at him and hissed, "You are just trying to make me look bad just like earlier."

Draco shook his head, "actually, this time, I was trying to help. I wouldn't want to get blamed for the bad potion. Why can't you just read the directions, Black?"

"And when will you stop being a brat?" Sarah whispered furiously. "If you know it all and like it so much, then you just do it" Sarah leapt off the stool she had been sitting in and made for the door.

"Black, don't you dare" Severus growled. Sarah whipped back around. Snape had taken three giant steps to stand in front of her. "Go finish your potion."

Sarah's feet remained glued to the floor. There was no way she was moving.

"Move it, Black." Severus reached to grab her arm, but Sarah jerked away from him.

"NO! I'm not going to. You know I hate making potions. And I hate how you two are teaming up on me telling me what I'm doing wrong." Sarah's lip began to quiver.

"Alright" Snape said calmly though there was a distinct displeasure in his voice that he was sure his young niece would hear quite clearly. "You will go up to your room and spend the rest of the afternoon there. Draco and I will finish here and then go flying."

"WHAT?" Sarah screeched.

"You heard me." Severus replied. "You made the choice. We are going to put an end to your stubbornness Sarah. First the vegetables, now this"

"That's not fair. I didn't do anything." Sarah argued.

"That is precisely my point. I asked you to do something and you refused. Hence the punishment"

Sarah glared at Severus's calm explanation.

"If my mum were here, she would NEVER do this. She would understand me. She would be on MY side" Sarah tugged at her braid in agitation.

Snape took a step closer to her and was now towering over her. "That was dirty Sarah" he said in a low voice. "Do NOT use your mother's memory to try to get what you want."

"It's true Snape" Sarah glared.

"No, it is most certainly not. You will now remain in your room for the rest of the night. Would you care to argue more?"

"I really do hate you Snape." Sarah said, tears rolling down her face.

"At the moment, I am sure you do." Snape replied evenly. "But that won't change your punishment. Go."

Sarah turned around and marched out the door. Severus and Draco could hear her stomps and finally the door slam loudly. Severus turned to his godson.

"Are you satisfied, Draco?" Severus asked quietly.

Draco stood up and shifted in his place, suddenly very uncomfortable.

"I really thought that you were growing up some. Since you have gotten here a few hours ago, you have tried everything in your power to goad Sarah into losing her temper. I did think we were past that, but obviously, I thought wrong." Severus made sure Draco heard the disappointment in his voice.

"But she hates me" he whispered. "I know I should hate her too because she is a Gryffindor, but…"

Sighing, Severus walked over to Draco. "Sit." Draco obeyed and Severus sat on the stool that Sarah had vacated.

"You have never given Sarah much of a reason not to."

Draco began to protest, after all, there were times when he was nice to her, but Severus held up a restraining hand.

"One minute you are nice to her, the other minute you are being a prat. It doesn't matter that what house the two of you are in. If you want to be her friend, then just be her friend."

"But what about Crabbe and Goyle? And Potter, Granger, and Weasel? Black would choose her trio of friends. A Slytherin can't be friends with a Gryffindor. Even you hate the Gryffindors and you are a professor" Draco argued.

Severus felt his words cut to his heart. Indeed, Draco brought up truth in his last statement.

"Draco, I feel that I have to be harder on the Gryffindors because they have an unfair advantage over our house. Students in the Slytherin house are…" Severus paused searching for the right words, "often _misunderstood_ by other people. Do you understand that?"

Draco nodded and Severus continued. "However, there are good and bad people in all houses."

"But Slytherin is the best" Draco argued "Dad says so. That some people are better than others."

"Your dad does feel that way. However, I would caution you. If you continue to act that way around Sarah, she won't come to see you for who you are, only for what you do. This summer, there is no Slytherin or Gryffindor only the three of us. Try to remember that, ok?"

With that, Severus rose and walked over to finish his potion, "Finish Sarah's potion and then we can go flying. Not that you deserve it for your behavior."

Draco smiled and did as his godfather said.

--

Sarah Black was having a rough day. After her uncle sent her to her room, she spent the time wallowing in the injustice of it all. Why couldn't Uncle Sev just understand her? Why did he refuse to get that she just didn't like making potions? And why was Uncle Sev taking Draco's side? All of these questions ran through Sarah's mind as she cried into her pillow, hugging Paddy.

After sometime, Sarah wiped the tears off her face and walked over to her window. She felt trapped here. Whatever, Uncle Sev said, Sarah knew that her mum would have seen the situation differently. She needed her mum to make things better. Everything was so not right! Peering out the window, she saw Draco and Uncle Sev chasing the snitch. They looked like they were having fun, while she was stuck in here miserable.

Sighing, Sarah picked up a piece of parchment. She would write to her friends. Harry of all people would understand. She would write him first and then the Weasleys and then Hermione. She would have written Hermione first, but Sarah had a secret fear that she would side with Snape. The boys, she knew, would take her side in a heartbeat. This would make her feel better. Maybe they would invite her to come again and visit. That would show Snape that someone would want her! She furiously began writing.

--

Sarah was bored. Out of things to do, she opted for lying on her bed, sulking. She had written her letters, but now what? She was getting hungry too.

"Agh!" Sarah rolled over on her side facing her window. There was a knock on her door.

"GO AWAY!" Sarah barked. There was no way she wanted to talk to anybody.

On the other side of the door, Snape rolled his eyes. His niece was certainly in a mood. This promised to be a delightful conversation. He remembered why he distinctly disliked children. Balancing a tray of food on one hand, he opened the door with his other hand, walked in and quietly shut the door behind him. Sarah was on her bed, back to the door. Sitting the tray down on the desk, he noticed three letters. The top one read "Harry Potter" in his niece's loopy cursive. He could only imagine their contents and how he was portrayed. He was sure that he was the villain in his niece's dramatic tale of woe. Walking over to the bed, he sat down on the edge.

Sarah felt her uncle sit on the bed. "I'm not talking to you just so you know." Sarah said, back still turned and arms around her stuffed dog.

Snape's eyes narrowed. Severus knew that this conversation would be a true test of his patience. Regardless, he wouldn't let her get away with the disrespect. "You don't need to talk. But you _will_ listen." Snape rolled Sarah over so she was facing him and she glared at him. Severus took Paddy out of Sarah's hands and placed it on the foot of her bed. He knew the toy gave her comfort and security, but at that moment, he wanted her to feel uncomfortable.

"You act like all of this is _my_ fault, Sarah Grace. If you are going to be angry, the only person you should be angry with is yourself. All you had to do was follow a simple direction, that is all, but instead you acted like a child of five, not eleven and refused to do so. Not only that, right now you have been rude and disrespectful to me."

"You are so unfair! You know I hate making potions! You act like it's so easy, but it's not" Sarah argued, sitting up to lean against her headboard. She folded her arms across her chest and her black braids were shaking slightly as she shook her head.

"Silence" Snape growled. "I don't want to hear your excuses. You are never going to learn to become more proficient unless you practice."

"What if I don't want to become better?" Sarah sulked, her light blue eyes flashing with defiance. Severus had not seen Sarah this insolent since before she found out that he was her uncle. He wondered why they had taken two steps backwards.

"It's not a choice." Snape said firmly, putting a heavy hand on her knee. "Unfortunately for you, you are the child and I am the adult. Thus, though you may be loathed to admit it, your hands are tied. You might as well just accept your fate."

Sarah scowled, furious but remained silent.

"You will remain here for the rest of the night and if you don't correct your attitude, maybe tomorrow as well. I brought you some food to eat. Draco and I already had dinner."

"I'm not hungry" Sarah said stubbornly, sliding slightly down on her headboard, shoulders hunched, face scrunched.

"Fine" Snape briskly walked over to her dresser and shuffled through to get out a pair of pink pajamas. He threw them to her and opened the door to her adjoining bathroom. "Go, change, brush your teeth and wash your face. It's time for bed. Maybe when you wake up tomorrow you will be in a more agreeable mood."

"It's only 7:00 SNAPE!" Sarah protested as she caught her clothes and sat up on her bed.

"Yes, and that's the bedtime for naughty little girls who refuse to obey." Snape explained patiently. "If you continue to argue with me Sarah, there are other consequences that await disobedient children. You might do well to remember them." Snape's voice held a warning.

Sarah glared again, angry that he was so calm about the whole matter but walked into the bathroom anyways, doing as he said. "Really, what choice to I have?" Sarah mumbled.

After changing and getting ready for bed, she came back out with her dirty clothes, throwing them into the hamper in her closet.

Severus noticed that Sarah hadn't undone her braids and brushed her hair. He supposed he hadn't told her to do that, but he knew the child was simply being lazy. Still, he didn't want to be the one to untangle the mess of her hair in the morning if she slept on her braids all night. Reminding, himself to be patient, Severus sat down on her bed.

"Come sit down" he patted on the bed and Sarah grudgingly sat beside him. Snape turned her around and began undoing her braids.

Sarah tried to jerk away from him. "I can do it myself" She argued.

"Stop being such a brat." he barked at her, finally losing his patience.

Sarah fell silent, but the tears started coming. She clenched her hands trying to stop them. She wouldn't let him see her crying. Snape gently brushed through her hair, undoing her tangles. He heard her sniffles and his heart softened slightly. She was a good child; she was just in a terrible mood.

"There you go." Snape said, his tone gentler. "In bed now, Miss Sarah" He pulled back the covers and Sarah got beneath them, refusing to meet his eyes and wiping the tears away from her face.

Snape pulled the covers back up, tucking her in tight. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Sarah's stuffed animal. "Would you like to sleep with Paddy?"

Sarah's heart softened and she nodded, still avoiding his eyes. Severus handed Sarah the toy and she instantly snuggled it to herself.

Severus leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Tomorrow, I do hope you wake up in a better mood. You will be writing an essay about your atrocious behavior outlining it and ways you can improve it. I dare say you will have a lot to write about" He stood up and with his wand, flicked the lights off and closing the door silently behind him.

Left in her room, Sarah turned towards the window and began to sob into her pillow. She cried herself into a restless sleep.


	26. The Wisdom of Grace Black

**Disclaimer: **Don't own- never have. Belongs to JK Rowling…etc….etc…etc

**Chapter 26- The wisdom of Grace Black**

"_CRUCIO"_

_Sarah dropped to the floor, her body withering in pain. She was with Quirrell again, reliving every moment. _

"_You will have to take the dark mark. You will have to take the dark mark…the dark mark…the dark mark" Voldemort's voice began softly, but it continued to crescendo to a loud boom. _

"_NO!" Sarah yelled with all her might. _

_The scene shifted. She was in a dark house, the one she had seen in Snape's memories. Voldemort had a white, slender hand on her arm, pinching her skin with his fingers. _

"_Ahh, Sarah Black, my most loyal servant" Sarah turned her head away from him, knowing what comes next, it always does. _

"_No, please don't do it! This isn't right!" Even in her distress, a person caught her eye. Sarah strained her eyes to see in the darkness, a woman with long black hair, who was reaching out her hand for her, a fierce look on her face. _

"_Mum! Help me! He's going to give me the mark. You have to stop him" Sarah cried as she tried to wiggle out of Voldemort's grasp, but he was too strong. _

"_Your mummy can't help you now, Sarah. She's gone" Voldemort laughed as he pointed his wand to her skin. _

_Sarah looked over to see that her mum had faded away. "NO!! MUM!! DON'T GO! HELP ME, PLEASE! COME BACK!" As the mark burned onto her arm, she crumpled to the floor. "Mum, Mum, Mum" she whimpered. "Don't leave me" _

Sarah woke up abruptly, shaking, sweat pouring off of her. Panicked, she sat up. The room was entirely dark with the exception of her nightlight, but at the moment, it was casting eerie shadows on the wall. Her covers laid on the floor, kicked off in the heat of her nightmare. Paddy lay on top of them.

"MUM! MUM come quick! Mummy!" She screamed, sobbing incoherently, starting to feel sick.

Moments later, Snape ran into the room, white-faced. He was awakened by Sarah screaming for her mum to help her. It was truly terrifying to hear Sarah in so much distress. For a moment, he felt like he lost his wits, but he soon reeled in his emotions and took command of the situation. Draco entered the room soon after he did, a scared look etched across his face.

Snape flicked on the lights with his wand and reached for Sarah, taking her into his arms, rocking her slightly, stroking a hand through her hair. "It's alright, Sarah. It's alright. Shhh, I have you child, no one is going to hurt you…"

"I want my mum" Sarah cried, burying her face in the soft fabric of his pajamas and holding on to him for dear life.

"I know, believe me, I know" Snape said soothingly, sitting on the bed with her in his lap. "At this moment, I want your mum too" He wiped the sweat from her brow. Her pajamas were soaked through and she couldn't manage to stop shaking. Her teeth were chattering and Sarah strained to stop both to no avail. Her stomach began to revolt as she closed her eyes, trying to push out the images from her mind. Voldemort, her mum, the pain- it was all so real.

Severus knew children had nightmares, but Sarah's reaction to them seemed to be so severe. He supposed it was from the trauma of the past year. She hadn't had a dream like this since she was at the Weasleys. He chided himself- he should have never let Sarah go to bed so upset.

Draco looked at the scene, horrified. "What is wrong with her, Uncle Sev?" His voice shook.

"Draco, Sarah will be fine. But I need your assistance" he said calmly. "Will you please go into my room? There is a potion with the initials DS and one labeled CD in the cabinet. Go get both of them, please. Go quickly, Draco."

Draco nodded and rushed out of the room.

Snape began to massage Sarah's shoulders, trying to work out some of the tension, as an overwhelming feeling of nausea overtook her.

"Uncle Sev, I think I'm going to get sick" Sarah whimpered.

Snape acted quickly to get Sarah into the bathroom and held back her hair for her as he listened to her try to empty her stomach. Sarah hadn't eaten in hours so he wasn't surprised that she was simply heaving. Finally, the nausea waned, and she exhausted leaned against him, pale and shaking. Severus summoned a wet washcloth and wiped her face for her. Once that task was completed, he gently carried her back into her room and laid her back on her bed. Getting out a fresh pair of pajamas, he quickly changed her old ones. Sarah felt too ill to be embarrassed by that and simply climbed up into his lap. Severus leaned back against the headboard as he held her, rocking her back and forth. He was worried by how much she was still shaking uncontrollably and felt great relief when Draco rushed back in with the potions.

Severus quickly poured the power labeled CD into a glass of water. He held the glass for her saying, "Here drink this" Sarah whimpered, the last thing she wanted to do was drink anything when five minutes ago, she almost got sick.

"It's ok, Sarah. It's going to help. I promise" Snape assured her.

He was right, after she drank it, she felt calmer and she stopped shaking so much.

Snape moved to shift her off of his lap, but Sarah clung to him.

"Stop. I'm not going anywhere. It's okay" Snape gently moved her beside him and she snuggled up close to him, laying her head on his chest. Her head felt so heavy and she felt weak. He stroked her hair and took the moment to look at his godson, who was standing beside the bed white-faced and shocked.

"Sarah, Draco looks worried" Snape observed. "Can he stay with us while you try to fall back asleep? He can sit in your comfy chair."

Sarah turned her face to look at Draco. It surprised her that he did look worried.

She nodded her consent. "I'm sorry Draco, I didn't mean to wake you up" Sarah said softly.

"That's alright, Black" he responded gruffly as he curled up in Sarah's pink chair. "What was your nightmare about anyways?"

"Do you really want to know?" Sarah asked.

Draco sighed. "I'm sorry I was mean to you earlier, Sarah. I acted like the biggest prat. I really would like to know" he said.

Head still lying on her uncle's chest, Sarah turned so she could see Draco.

Speaking softly, Sarah began to retell the contents of her dream. Severus was surprised that Sarah would honor Draco's request. After all, she wouldn't tell him the time at Hogwarts until Dumbledore intervened. Molly Weasley wrote to say Sarah had a nightmare while she was there, and she wouldn't tell her either. For Sarah to willingly tell Draco, it was definitely a big step.

"Quirrell used an unforgivable on you?" Draco's eyes grew wide. "Black, why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I did, I told Uncle Sev and Dumbledore. What good does it do to tell anybody else? Draco, it will just make people scared of Vol…I mean you know who. Plus, I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me" Sarah shifted slightly to try to get more comfortable and Severus continued to stroke her hair.

"Maybe they should be" Draco shuddered.

Severus studied his godson for his reaction. He knew that eventually when the Dark Lord did return, Draco would be primed to join the Death Eaters. Unbeknownst to Narcissa, Lucius was preparing him even now. All hell will break lose, when Narcissa realizes it.

"What else was in your dream?" Draco added.

Sarah finished telling him about Voldemort giving her the mark and seeing her mum and calling out for her, but her disappearing.

Severus breathed in sharply. "Is that why you were calling for your mother when you woke up?"

"Yes, sir. I got confused. I still thought she was here."

"Sarah, I'm really sorry about everything." Draco said softly, barely loud enough for Severus and Sarah to hear him.

"Thanks Draco" Sarah snuggled closer to Severus and they remained silent for several minutes. It amazed her that this was the same Draco who at times called her friends names and then at other times like now and when her mum died could be so nice. She couldn't make sense of it, but then she was too tired now to think about it.

She glanced over at Draco, who now had his eyes closed and was snoring slightly. "Uncle Sev, I think Draco fell back asleep."

Severus laughed softly at his godson's snores. "I think you are right. Do you mind if I get up to cover him with one of your blankets? I'll transfigure your chair into something a little more comfortable to sleep on."

"Ok" Sarah watched her uncle transfigure the chair into a single bed which made the room look quite small. He took one of her blankets and pillow and tucked Draco in before climbing back into Sarah's bed and reaching for her.

"I'm really scared Uncle Sev. It was so real" Comforted by his proximity, Sarah began to open up.

"Dreams sometimes seem real. But they aren't. You must try to remember that."

"But he will come back" Sarah shuddered.

"Yes, and you will be ready for it. And I'll protect you" Snape assured her. "I told you before Sarah, you will not face it alone."

"Promise me?" Sarah asked.

"I promise" Severus massaged her neck. "Do you think you can try to close your eyes and fall back asleep? I don't want to use the dreamless sleep unless absolutely necessary" Severus asked gently.

"I can try" she hesitated, then whispered, "will you stay with me until I do?"

"Of course. Why do you have to ask?" Severus asked, surprised.

"I don't deserve it" Sarah replied, her voice choking. Severus could feel the tears falling down her face, making his shirt damp.

Severus waited, realizing that Sarah needed to get her thoughts out.

"I really was horrible to you today Uncle Sev. I don't know why I acted so. I'm really sorry. Why were you so nice to me tonight when I was so mean to you today?"

"well, because it is my job to take care of you" Severus explained.

"Oh" Sarah replied, a little disappointed. She hated to think that it was simply because Snape promised her mother that he would be her guardian.

"And" Severus said. He paused for several moments, which seemed to drag on, struggling with the internal fight going on within him. Showing his emotions was never easy. "You are my niece and I love you."

"_You do_?" Sarah sat up to look at him. His eyes were just like her mum's.

"Of course, I do, Sarah" Severus said. "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have just grounded you with out trying to explain to you why your behavior was so inappropriate. It's because I love you that I want you to grow up to be a woman like…"

"Like mum" Sarah said softly snuggling back down and resting her head on his chest once again. Severus started rubbing her back softly.

"Yes, like your mum" Severus replied in a low voice. "Strong and beautiful, honorable and courageous- and willingly to fight for what is right," Severus paused. "Sarah, your mum wasn't perfect, but she admitted her mistakes. It may have taken her 10 years to do so, but she did nonetheless"

They were silent for a few minutes.

"Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked softly.

"Yes?"

"I'm really sorry that I said I hated you. I don't hate you. You know that right?"

Snape chuckled. "I kind of figured that one out."

Sarah's eyes began to droop as she fell back asleep. As she was drifting off to sleep, "Uncle Sev?" Sarah said groggily.

"Yes, Black?" Severus asked slightly amused at his sleepy head niece.

"I love you too" Sarah smiled in her sleep.

Severus sighed. His heart was truly full of love and sorrow mixed together. "She's so much like you Gracie. I really wish you were here to see this" He whispered as he gently got up and tucked Sarah back in to bed.

He went over to check on Draco who had kicked off his blanket. He picked it up and covered him again.

Flicking off the lights and leaving the door open so he could hear if she woke up again, he went back to his own room.

--

"So, Black, you have to stir counter clockwise three times before you add the powdered horn" Draco instructed patiently.

"But why can't you just dump everything in and stir" Sarah asked, shaking her head at the insanity of it all.

"Because it doesn't work that way. Potion making is delicate. If you change one of the steps, it can change the effectiveness or cause the potion to explode." Severus explained. "It's why I get irritated with students who clearly don't do their reading or follow the directions. They don't understand how dangerous it can be."

"But it's useful, right Uncle Sev?" Draco added helpfully.

"Indeed" Severus said. "Black, do you know why?"

Sarah smiled mischievously, a gleam in her blue eyes. "It can ensnare the senses…even put a stopper" She paused dramatically "in death" She clapped her hands together.

Draco snickered and Snape smacked her. "Ok, that's enough for today. Draco you can go flying as long as you stay close."

"Can I go too?" Sarah asked hopefully.

"No, you have an essay to write Miss Sarah." Snape reminded her. Sarah's expression fell.

She sighed, "Outlining my arotous behavior"

"Atrocious" Snape corrected. "But yes. And don't forget how to correct it."

"Alright. Then can you and I practice my shield spell again?" Sarah asked.

Severus gave her a look of disbelief. "You want to practice your shield spell again?"

"Yes sir. I figured you would be angry with me if I practiced it by myself, but I want to practice it again. Please?"

Severus folded his hands, silent for a few moments studying her carefully as if trying to determine her motives. "Alright, Black. I will have to petition the ministry to allow you to practice magic outside of school. I will ask Dumbledore what he thinks. I can't make any promises. But I won't do anything until you write your essay."

Sarah smiled. "Thanks, Uncle Sev" She got out a piece of parchment and started writing.

--

Later that night, the three of them were sitting in the study. Draco and Severus were playing a game of wizarding chess. Sarah was curled up on the couch engrossed in her book _Anne of Green Gables_. Hermione had sent it to her that day. Apparently it was written a long time ago by an author who lived in Canada. This Anne got in more trouble than even she did! And she broke a slate over a boy's head. Sarah wondered if this was sort of like her hexing Malfoy the first day of classes. She decided it was probably very similar. But Gilbert tried to make it up to Anne and Anne had ignored his attempts. Was this like her and Malfoy? Malfoy actually had a nice side to him too like Gilbert did, even if he still was a brat. She looked up from her book to watch Severus and Draco curiously.

Draco noticed Sarah watching him. "Hey Black, do you want to help me? Uncle Sev is playing dirty."

Severus looked offended. "I am not" he said righteously before but cracking a smile.

Sarah pulled off the quilt that she was using as a blanket and wrapped it around her as she moved to where the boys were playing. Draco scooted over and let her share his chair.

Sarah studied the board. "What if you move your knight here?" Sarah pointed to a place on the chess board. The two of them worked hard to outmaneuver Severus and in the end, they finally were successful.

Draco and Sarah cheered and Severus scowled but then quickly smiled and all three of them laughed together.

"Ok, you two, its time for bed" Severus said.

Sarah stood up and stretched. "You know you should really act this way at school instead of like…well, you know" Sarah trailed off and flushed. "People might like you more" She finished awkwardly.

"Act like what Black?" Severus asked.

At Sarah's slight smile and shake of the head, he continued somberly. "Maybe you meant acting like arrogant…"

"Prats…" Draco finished for him.

They both looked at each other and scowled. "Never."

Sarah rolled her eyes. Reasoning with men was hopeless. Even at the age 11, she was learning that fact quickly.

"I have a reputation to maintain" Severus said haughtily. "Severus Snape _does not_ go soft."

"Me either" Draco added toughly and Severus laughed at his attempts to be manly.

"Ok, off to bed. I'll be in shortly to tuck you in" Severus said.

"I'll race you Malfoy" Sarah said mischievously. "I bet you I'll win."

"You're on" Malfoy said, with a grin on his face.

Severus cleared his throat. "You forgot one rule." He shook his finger at them. "No running in the house."

Sarah laughed. "Uncle Sev, we weren't going to run." she replied sweetly with a sparkle in her blue eyes. "Ready, set, go." And they both rushed off.

Severus heard their laughter as they raced up the stairs. He smiled and went over to sit on the couch. He picked up the quilt that Sarah had flung on the couch on her way out the door. Folding it gently, images from the past year flashed in his mind.

"Gracie, you were right." Severus whispered. "It is a gift. An incredibly hard one at times" He smiled slightly as he replaced the blanket on the couch. He then remembered that Grace had left him a second larger envelope. Instinctively, he knew that it was time to open it up. Walking over to his desk, he retrieved the envelope from the desk drawer, tearing it open.

_Dear Sev,_

_I told you so._

Severus laughed. He knew that his sister would always have to have the last word. Just so he would know that she was right all along. But that was Gracie and as frustrating as that as at times, it endeared him to her.

_I knew that you could love Sarah for who she was and not just because she is my daughter just as I knew that you would never be able to not love her because she was Sirius's daughter. I'm her mum, of course I think she is wonderful, but now you know that my daughter has this way about her. She grabs a hold of your heart even though she can make you so infuriated with her at any given moment. I know she is going to grow up to be a wonderful woman because I know that you will make sure of it. _

_But there is one last thing that I need to do for both of you. Sarah needs a father. She longs for it just like I longed to be our Daddy's little girl. Attached are adoption papers. I want you to adopt my daughter and be her parent. I want you to be the father we never had for our little girl. Part of me is selfish; I can't bear for Sarah not to have what we longed for. You might think that you could never do it, but Severus, my dear brother, you are doing it already. We are just making it formal. _

Severus dropped the paper on his lap. Gracie was giving him her child, not to simply raise and take care of until she came of age, but to be her real parent in lieu of her. Part of him was in awe that she would trust him this much, but he knew in reality that as strained as their relationship had gotten, Gracie had always trusted and loved him. Even two weeks ago, he would have scoffed at this new turn of events, but he knew that Grace was right. He already thought of Sarah as his child and he was sure that he loved her as a father loved a daughter. Shaking his head in amazement, he picked back up the piece of paper.

_One other thing though: I included a clause in the papers. When Sirius went to Azkaban his parental rights were terminated. Chances are he will be there the rest of his life. But Severus, if it is ever proven that Sirius is innocent, I don't want you to keep Sarah from him. You would both be a part of Sarah's life. The clause guarantees it legally. Unconventional, yes, but I will not have the two of you fighting over my daughter._

Severus chuckled. He could imagine Grace's stream of thoughts as she written in that clause. To the very end, she could imagine that her husband was innocent and if one day that was proven, he would want his daughter back. And Grace would want him to have that with not interfering with his relationship with Sarah. Basically, she was ensuring not only Sirius's rights to Sarah, but his own. Once again, mediating between the two of the men she loved the most in this world. Though he loathed to think if that other happened, and he and Sirius would have to work out raising Sarah. But he knew that signing these papers made his role in Sarah's life more permanent. The child couldn't simply be taken away from him and offered guardianship to someone else, which Severus supposed was another reason behind the turn of events. Grace was taking care of him because she knew that now that he loved the child, it would break his heart in two for her to be taken from him. Severus shook his head in disbelief. _How_ _could she know these things about him after all this time_?

_So, there you have it. One last thing- I love you and I will always believe in you. Some things never change. Thank you for being my big brother. _

_Love always,_

_  
Gracie_

Severus grabbed the papers and bounded up the stairs two at a time.

"Sarah Grace!" He knocked on the door.

"What is it, Uncle Sev?" Sarah asked as he opened the door. She had brushed her hair and she was just climbing into bed. She leaned against the headboard and Severus sat down on her bed.

"Your mum" Severus shook his head in disbelief, waving the piece of paper in front of her.

"My mum?" Sarah looked at him like he was crazy. "What are you talking about?"

Severus handed her Grace's letter. Sarah read it before looking up, her eyes locking with her uncle. "Do you want this?"

Snape nodded. "Very much so, Sarah. Your mum is right- I already see you as my little girl. We are just making it formal"

Sarah grinned. "Well, I'm not so little, Uncle Sev"

"That is debatable, Black. You just think you are older than you are. But what do you say?"

"Would I have to change my name?" Sarah asked.

"No, I don't think so. I'm too used to calling you Black" Severus grinned. "If I started calling you Snape, I think I might think I am about addressing myself."

Sarah laughed. "Would I have to call you Dad?"

"You could if you wanted to, but Uncle Sev is fine. That doesn't matter. Whatever you want- three years from now you could start calling me Dad. It doesn't matter what you call me. This simply makes are arrangement more permanent. I know you still see Black as your father even if you never met him. That wouldn't change"

Sarah's face lit up. "I want you to adopt me, Uncle Sev"

Severus looked relieved. "Good. Now go to bed." He patted her head.

"How can you say, go to bed?" Sarah asked. "After this" She waved the piece of paper.

"Because" Severus took the paper from her, pushed her gently down in her bed and pulled the covers up around her. "I won't have my daughter grumpy in the morning."

"Fine" Sarah rolled her eyes. "Lucky me, I get stuck with the strictest father in the world"

Severus kissed her head. "And don't you forget that, little girl."

"Night, Black" He whispered.

Sarah smiled. "Night Uncle Sev" she said, rolling over. "Love you"

Severus flicked off the lights before turning around. "Love you too" He said.

"If only Gracie could see us now." He thought again as he quietly shut the door to his niece's room. "She would have loved this"

And then he remembered what Dumbledore said at Gracie's funeral.

"_If there was one thing I'm sure Grace would want me to say is that love is powerful. It has the ability to overcome the darkness that this life inevitably brings. She would want to remind all of us to show kindness and compassion and to practice loving one another. Most of all, she would entreat me to say that of all the wonderful gifts and miracles in the world-and there are many- the greatest of these is love." _

When Severus had heard this before, he had scoffed inwardly. At one time, he might have believed it, but love had failed him over and over again. Yet this year, he had been given the gift of love once again. It came in a surprise package- a stubborn little girl with blue eyes and black braids with a mischievous streak like her despicable father, but the ability to love that was just like her mother.

Severus laughed at himself. "Who would have thought? Yes, the old coot might have been right after all."

--

_One year later…._

In a dark, dank cell in Azkaban, a prisoner with matted black hair and grey eyes held a picture in his hand. He rocked back and forth, frantically whispering three words.

"He's at Hogwarts. He's at Hogwarts"

Over a year ago upon receiving a letter from his wife, this prisoner had lived as if in a trance. In his world, his wife was alive and they were together again as a family. But one glance of the picture in the newspaper, awoken him once again, propelling him back into reality.

Sirius Black had a mission. It was a mission given to him so many years ago and Gracie had reminded him of that over a year ago. But for the past year, he was too consumed by his grief. Now, he was focused on one thing and one thing only.

"Yes, it should work" He thought, with a small smile on his face. "It should work perfectly."

And across the country, two children slept. One little girl with black braids and her mother's spirit, slumbered in the security of her uncle's house. And one little boy with jet black hair and his mother's brilliant emerald eyes, was locked away in a room at his aunt's house, dreaming of a real family.

Two children whose lives were about to change by what Sirius Black was about to do.

And as the cell door opened to give Sirius his food, he transformed and a scrawny, black dog slipped through the cell door, not seen by the guard in the dark of the moonless night.

The dog made his way through the prison and out of the gates, unnoticed by all. He leapt in the freedom of the night air, dancing in circles on the grass.

Padfoot was back.

**A/N**: So, here we go. The end? This is where I intended to stop the story and write a sequel, picking up in the start of Sarah's third year. What do you all think? Should I just add more chapters to this story? Should I start an entirely new one and make it a sequel? Should I just stop all together? Please give me some suggestions here! And thanks for those who reviewed this story. I can't tell you how encouraging it is since this is my first fanfiction story. Thanks for sticking with it and giving it a chance.


	27. Sequel Information

**Announcing the sequel to **_**And the Greatest of these is Love.** _

Thanks for all your kind reviews and encouragement to write a sequel.

The sequel is titled _Growing Up_ and I think we might find that the title is relevant to other characters besides Sarah. You can find it on my author's page.

Here's the description: After his beloved sister's death, Severus Snape adopted his niece. But Sarah's father, Sirius Black has escaped for Azkaban. Join Sarah, Sirius, and Severus as they find growing up is anything but easy. Also features: Trio, Twins, Draco, Dumbledore, Lupin

Please check it out and of course, review! Thanks so much!


End file.
